The Moon King
by Bill K
Summary: Special Mother/Daughter crossover: A stranger appears in the Crystal Palace, seeking to reconnect to Serenity, claiming he is her long lost father.
1. Loyalty

THE MOON KING  
Chapter 1: "Loyalty"  
A Sailor Moon/Neo-Sailor Moon crossover fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

Sailor Moon and all related characters are (c)2017 by Naoko Takeuchi and are used without permission, but with respect. Story is (c)2017 by Bill K.

* * *

The time was six months since Haruka Tenoh's crash in the jungles of Yakushima. It was June and another hot Japanese summer was approaching. The Queen was fully recovered from her misadventure in Australia. The restoration of Japan to pre-ice disaster times was nearing completion. The economy was still struggling to recover, leading to increased criticism of the monarchy from the Liberal Democrats, led by the vociferous Dietman Takahashi. But while there was some grumbling among the population over tighter budgets and smaller paychecks, Queen Serenity still held a special place in the hearts of the citizens of Japan. She was still their beloved savior.

And, as she would find out, the Queen was beloved by someone else.

"Your Majesty!" Luna exclaimed as she scampered after the Queen. "You have a meeting with the Ambassador from the United States in three minutes!"

"Reschedule it!" Serenity shouted over her shoulder as she scurried down the corridor to the lift that would take her to the aeropad atop the palace. "AND DON'T CALL ME YOUR MAJESTY!"

"You've already rescheduled it three times!" the black cat shot back. "And I'll bloody well call you what your station demands!"

"It can't be helped! Convey my apologies! You're good at that sort of stuff!" Serenity replied as she ducked into the elevator car. Just as the door closed Luna leaped in after her.

"I've had quite enough practice at it! I jolly well should be!" the cat fumed. "This is a very important meeting, Your Majesty! The United States is a valued ally! What could possibly be so important as to risk insulting them further?"

"Rei's coming back home!" Serenity cried happily. "I just got the message!" Luna could see that the Queen was practically levitating, she was so giddy.

"Very well," the cat sighed, knowing there was no talking her charge out of her course of action. "I shall convey your regrets - - ONCE AGAIN!"

"I'll make it up to him! I promise!" Serenity told the cat. "As soon as I get Rei settled, I'll - - um, visit him at his home! And I'll bring a cake!"

"You intend to apologize to the man by poisoning him?"

"I'LL HAVE MAKO-CHAN BAKE IT!" snarled the Queen. Luna turned her head to conceal her smirk.

The elevator opened onto the rooftop aeropad. The Queen hiked up her skirt in a very un-regal manner and sprinted across the pad to a waiting helicopter. As Luna followed, she could see Ami and Minako were already aboard. And there was one other surprise.

"Hear you need a lift to the airport, Dumpling!" Haruka shouted from the pilot's seat.

"Haruka!" Serenity exclaimed joyously. "I could kiss you!"

"Not in front of everybody!" Haruka smirked flirtatiously. "Later on, we'll get a hotel room!"

"You stop that!" Serenity snapped and playfully swatted Haruka's arm. Ami and Minako chuckled. "Isn't Mako-Chan coming?"

"You know how she feels about these new-fangled flying machines!" Minako shouted over the roar of the prop. "She's driving over!"

Serenity climbed into the helicopter. From the pad, Luna watched the helicopter lift off and head for Haneda Airport. Emitting a sigh of frustration, the cat turned back for the elevator.

"This is no way to achieve paradise," the cat muttered.

* * *

Having been warned of the Queen's arrival, Haneda Airport security set up a special cordoned off area to protect her and give her some privacy. As crowds of on-lookers watched from behind barricades, Serenity waited nervously with three of her four best friends.

"Why is it taking so long?" Serenity fretted. "You suppose something happened?"

"I saw the plane land," Ami said.

"Good," Makoto sighed with relief.

"Knowing Rei, she probably insisted on purifying the arrival gate before she'd let anyone disembark," Minako cracked.

Moments later, the passengers began to filter into the concourse from the gate. The presence of the Queen was a surprise to them. Waiting security personnel were able to spot Rei and direct her to her waiting party. Instantly Serenity cut the distance between them and enveloped the priest in a massive bear hug that the monarch was rapidly becoming known for. The others quickly gathered around.

"How are you feeling, Rei?" Serenity asked. "Did the trip help?"

"A little," the raven haired woman shrugged timidly. "My sight's still messed up, but I'm not having as many nightmares as I did. And I think I did some good for the poor people of The Philippines, which is the important thing."

"What, no souvenirs?" Minako joked. Rei replied with a withering glare.

"Blondie," sighed Makoto. "Good to have you back, Rei."

"Yes, we've all missed you greatly," Ami added.

Serenity looked around curiously. "Where's Derek?" Instantly Rei bowed her head and the others feared the worst.

"Derek," Rei mumbled hoarsely, "left - - for America."

"When is he coming back?" Serenity asked naively. Momentarily Rei seemed like she would burst into tears, but she kept it held in.

"I don't think he's coming back, Hon'," Makoto said softly.

"What?" squeaked the Queen. She turned to her friend. "Rei? What happened?"

"Can we just go home?" Rei asked, struggling to keep her emotions in check.

"Sure. I'll drive you," Makoto said, protectively enveloping her friend and leading her to the parking lot. Ami followed, concern clear on her face. Minako turned to the stunned Queen.

"She'll tell us when she's ready," Minako told Serenity. Serenity had tears streaming down her face as she followed Rei with her eyes.

* * *

At the palace, Rei headed straight for the shrine. Naturally Serenity followed her, desperate to find out what had happened and what she could do to fix things and make Rei happy again. But Rei wouldn't talk. Sensing that persistence would only push Rei to say something everyone would regret, Makoto and Ami gently eased the Queen away.

"I think that would be an excellent project to help get the fishing industry in the north back on its feet," Endymion said to the interior minister he and Serenity were meeting with. He turned to his wife. "What do you think, Serenity?"

Serenity just stared at her hands.

"Serenity?" Endymion repeated. Only when he reached out and touched her hand did she look up with a start.

"What?" she asked. "Oh. I wasn't really listening. That was-was very irresponsible of me." She took a moment to collect herself. "If you and the minister think it's a good idea, then let's do it. I trust your judgment - - both of your judgments."

"Thank you," the minister, a man in his sixties who had worked in the Interior Ministry for thirty-five years. He got up and bowed, concerned about the Queen. "I'll make the necessary arrangements to implement this new program. Thank you for your time."

Endymion rose and bowed to him. After the man left, he sat back down and touched his wife's hand again. That stirred her from her preoccupation again.

"Rei?" he asked.

"I-I don't understand it, Endymion," Serenity said, almost sobbing. "Rei and Derek love each other. I know they do! But they keep breaking up! What do I have to do - -?"

"Maybe you shouldn't do anything," Endymion advised. Serenity looked at him as if he'd just declared war. "Two people can love each other and not be able to live with each other. Love doesn't conquer all. Rei and Derek may have decided, separately or together, that a relationship was more pain than it was worth."

"That's silly," Serenity squeaked.

"Serenity, Rei's still going through a lot of pain from what happened to her during the Ice Disaster. And Derek may have his own issues. And they may have just decided to part while they still cared about each other. Because if you mix in the right amount of pain, love can turn into hate."

"Why does it have to be like that?" the Queen moaned. She eased against her husband and he put his arm around her.

"Maybe it won't always be," Endymion offered.

"And she won't let me help her," Serenity sighed. "I could help her if she'd let me. And I don't mean altering her mind. I mean sharing her pain and maybe pointing her in the right direction."

"She will. Give her time."

The door opened. Luna timidly poked her head in.

"Forgive the intrusion, Your Majesties," Luna said. "It's time for your daily meeting with visitors to the palace. If you're not up to it . . ."

"No," Serenity said, pulling herself upright and hastily wiping the tears from her face. "I'll be there. Just - - give me a minute to look presentable."

"Of course, Your Majesty," Luna nodded. "I'll prepare the reception room for your arrival."

"Oh, my eyes are probably red and puffy!" Serenity fretted. She placed her hands over her eyes. They glowed silver momentarily and when she brought them down, the puffiness was gone. "How do I look?"

"Like the woman that captivated a nation," Endymion smiled as he got up. The King leaned over and kissed his wife on the forehead. "I'll get on those economic forecasts while you go meet your public and do what you do best."

Giving her husband a nod and sentimental smile, the Queen turned and glided out of the room to meet the public.

Queen Serenity, from the start of her reign, had tried to meet with the people of Japan, to talk to them, to listen to their problems or their advice, to accept their good wishes and to just be accessible. Originally she had set aside one hour a day for the task. That hour had grown to three before Luna put her foot down.

Every day there were hundreds of people lined up to get a chance to meet her. Some had genuine problems. Others had problems only in their minds or egos. A great many just wanted the chance to say they had touched or talked to the great Queen Serenity, savior of the world. Palace security even had to start screening visitors, because several people came back multiple times.

And because one person had once shown up with a bomb in a backpack, seeking fame as the person who killed Queen Serenity. That's why a detachment of palace security and one of the inner Senshi was beside her whenever Serenity did this.

"Hello, Oba-San," Serenity smiled warmly to the woman approaching her from the line queued up outside the room, shunting aside her own pain. "It's so nice to meet you. What's your name, if I may ask?"

"Queen Serenity," the woman exclaimed breathlessly. She was an older woman, in her early forties, from a lower income family and used to working hard. Her black hair was pulled back from her face, there were stress lines under her eyes, and her dress was clean and flattering, but not expensive. "Um, Umiko Bara. I'm so honored to meet you!"

"I don't know why. If anyone should be honored, it should be me," Serenity said, and everyone in the room from Sailor Venus on could just tell the words weren't just words. Serenity looked at the woman for a moment. "You seem burdened. How can I help?"

"H-How did you know?" the surprised woman asked.

"Woman's intuition?" Serenity shrugged. Venus knew better. "If it's embarrassing, we can go somewhere private."

"My son - - Miki," the woman began. "He was never a very good student. But now he doesn't even try. He spends all of his time gambling or with his friends. Friends - - they're little more than hoodlums!" She looked down nervously. "I'm afraid for him. Afraid he's going to hurt someone and land in prison - - or worse. I've tried to talk to him, tried to discipline him. Tried to get him to stop what he's doing and become honest again! But he won't listen!"

Embarrassed by her show of emotion and by her situation, the woman shrank back into herself.

"I shouldn't be asking this of you," Umiko choked out. "You have so many important things to do. But if you could - - I don't know, talk to him. Make him see. Make him realize that the path he's going down will only lead to his destruction, and maybe the destruction of innocents besides . . ."

Umiko felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up and saw Queen Serenity leaning in to her, giving her a smile that suddenly made her think things weren't hopeless.

"It sounds like exactly the thing I was put on this world to do," Serenity told her. "Miki, was it? I'll talk to him. I can't guarantee he'll listen. But I'll certainly try."

"Oh, thank you, Queen Serenity!" Umiko exclaimed. She fell to her knees before the Queen and pressed her head to the floor. Immediately she felt a hand close around her arm.

"No no, that's not necessary," Serenity said, kneeling beside her and prodding her up. "Now please get up before you get your dress dirty."

Venus seemed to sense it first: the subtle displacement of air preceding the faint crackle of energy. It was in the center of the room. She quickly moved in front of Serenity to shield her. Tipped by this, Serenity shielded Mrs. Bara.

The energy flared for a single moment, then dissipated, and he was there. It was a man dressed like he'd just stepped out of a thousand years ago. The man was five feet six inches tall, with a stocky, muscular build and a round moon face. His chin was covered in a stubbly beard and stubble surrounded his mouth in a rough goatee. His black hair was pulled back into a traditional chomage. He wore a simple kimono of midnight blue, tied at the waist with an obi, and wooden clog sandals. His sudden appearance was concerning enough. But what concerned Venus most was the archer's bow in his hand, the quiver of arrows slung across his back, and the long and short swords tucked into the obi.

"Don't move!" two of the guards yelled, drawing stun guns from the holsters on their belts. Quickly they moved in to surround the stranger. Mrs. Bara let out a fearful cry.

The stranger gave the two guards a single glance. With lightning speed, the long sword was out. He slashed twice, then returned the sword to its scabbard. One guard was beheaded, while the other collapsed to the floor, gutted.

"You don't listen very well, Kuwabatake!" Venus barked. As she summoned her Love Me Chain, the stranger glanced disdainfully at her. "Drop the weapons or I drop you!"

"Stop!" Serenity shouted. She had run over to the fallen guards and was kneeling by the gutted one. Both combatants glanced for a second at her, then returned their stares to each other. "Why did you kill them?"

"They were attacking," was the man's gruff reply.

"They were defending me!" Serenity replied, her horror at all of this undiminished.

"Then they knew the risks," he responded indifferently. "I have not come here to attack. If you want no further bloodshed, tell your retainers to stand down."

"Yeah, you'd like that," Venus smirked, the gleam of challenge in her eyes.

"Venus, do as he says," Serenity told her.

"Serenity," Venus argued.

"I'll be all right," the Queen assured her. Venus expelled a breath in frustration, but lowered her chain. By now reinforcements were at the door in the form of more palace security. Serenity gestured for them to stay back.

"You are wise, Usagi," the stranger smiled. "I have no desire to waste my time exterminating these creatures."

"Those weren't cockroaches you were talking about!" Venus bristled.

"Venus," Serenity cautioned.

By this time, Endymion and the other Senshi were emerging from the inner hallways leading to the Receiving Room. Seeing the stranger tense, Serenity put up a hand to hold them back.

"I'm all right," she told them. "Please stay back for now."

"What's going on?" Jupiter demanded. "What's this character want?"

Cautiously Endymion moved near his wife. He locked eyes with the stranger.

"Who are you?" the King demanded in a tone that was forceful but not belligerent. "Why have you come here?"

"I see your kind hasn't changed much over the centuries," the stranger replied to Endymion with disdain. "Still as arrogant as ever."

"What do . . ." Endymion repeated.

"I have nothing more to say to you," the stranger replied, cutting Endymion off. "I am here to speak to Usagi and only to Usagi."

"Usagi?" Serenity asked. "Have we met before?"

"I should say so," the man smiled, his moon face beaming with sudden tenderness. "Don't you remember me? I know it's been a long time."

"I'm sorry. I'm afraid I don't," Serenity offered. "Who are you, and how do you know me?"

He smiled to himself. "You may call me Tsukuyomi," he said tenderly. "I am your father."

Continued in Chapter 2


	2. Displeasure

THE MOON KING  
Chapter 2: "Displeasure"  
A Sailor Moon/Neo-Sailor Moon crossover fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

Serenity looked up from the dead palace guard she knelt next to and focused on the stranger who had dubbed himself Tsukuyomi. Her eyes seemed to glisten from moisture forming around the rims. Endymion and her Senshi noticed her expression become slightly pained and as one they hated this intruder all the more.

"My father is dead," Serenity replied as evenly as she could.

"I'm afraid you're mistaken," Tsukuyomi replied. What was the tone in his voice? Tenderness?

"I buried him and my mother myself," Serenity said, just a little more forcefully.

"Look, maybe you better leave," Jupiter sounded a note of warning, "before we make you leave."

"I see your mistake," Tsukuyomi replied, completely ignoring Jupiter. "You speak of the humans who sheltered you when you were in human form. I'm most grateful to them. But I am he who sired you, with your late mother, the first Queen Serenity."

Instantly Mercury and Venus glanced at Mars. After a moment, she caught their urgent stares.

"I don't know," Mars said surreptitiously. "He's more than human. I can tell that much. But the actual Tsukuyomi?"

"What's your computer say, Mercury?" Venus asked.

"Physiologically, he is humanoid," Mercury reported softly. "But he's not - - human. In fact, he scans closer to Serenity or Endymion than he does to you or I."

"From the Moon Kingdom?" Serenity asked. "Is that where you claim to have met my mother?"

"It's more than a claim," the stranger bristled. "I witnessed the Crystal Kingdom's construction those many years ago."

"If you were part of the Crystal Kingdom of the Moon, you couldn't have done this so easily," Serenity argued, "with such callousness. Life was sacred to them - - all life!"

"That's your mother talking," scowled Tsukuyomi.

"It's true!" snapped Serenity with unusual vehemence. "All life is sacred!"

"Even the life of an insect?" Tsukuyomi replied with strained tolerance. "You're misinterpreting your mother's teachings. She may have felt benevolence for these - - lower creatures - - but she didn't trust them for a moment and she didn't consider them her equal." He grew introspective for a moment, then smiled at her. "And that's why I'm here, my dear Usagi."

"Oh?" Serenity said distantly.

"I've watched you blossom into your true form with a great sense of pride and longing. I've also watched you squander your time and energies trying to lift these humans out of the mire they created for themselves. Every moment you spend with them diminishes you. So I've come to rescue you from this. I've come to take you by the hand and show you exactly what you're capable of. I want to see you become the shining star of the universe."

"And what do you get out of it?" Venus asked, not bothering to hide the cynicism in her voice.

Ignoring Venus, Tsukuyomi extended a hand to Serenity.

"Come with me, child," he cajoled. "Learn what I may teach you and in turn teach me the joy of raising a beautiful daughter."

Solemnly Serenity rose to her feet. She faced Tsukuyomi directly. There was sadness in her deep blue eyes.

"My place is here," she told him. "I have a husband here. I have friends here. And I have responsibilities and a mission here."

"But I could show you so much more!" Tsukuyomi implored her.

"Like how to kill without remorse?"

"Again with that? They were just humans! They lead insignificant lives and then they disappear into eternity with no marker that they even mattered!" snapped Tsukuyomi.

"Except for the memories they leave for their loved ones," Serenity sighed. "Maybe you are my father. But if this is an example of your superior knowledge, you have nothing to teach me that I want to learn."

"Damn that woman!" fumed Tsukuyomi. "She reaches from beyond the grave to vex me still!" With his bow slung over his shoulder, he lunged out and seized Serenity's wrist, pulling her to him.

But he didn't hold her very long. Endymion's hand, now covered in black armor, shot out and clamped onto Tsukuyomi's arm. With a violent jerk, he broke the intruder's grip on his wife. Tsukuyomi pulled away and went for his long sword. So did Endymion.

"NO!" shrieked Serenity. She planted herself directly between the two, using her own body as a barrier between them to keep them from fighting. "NO MORE KILLING!" To the side, all four Senshi were tensed and ready to attack.

Since she was facing him, Tsukuyomi looked directly into her eyes. He took a moment to gain control. His hand came off of the hilt of his sword. Only after that happened did Endymion release the hilt of his.

"Perhaps you should leave," Serenity said softly. "When you can come in peace, you're welcome to return."

"Very well, Usagi. I will abide by your wishes. But I will not disappear from your life as your mother wished me to do."

With that, he faded from the room. Venus instantly looked to Mercury.

"Instantaneous matter to energy transference and broadcast teleportation," the Senshi whispered in amazement.

"I'm guessing that means he's really gone," Venus rolled her eyes. Endymion grasped Serenity by the upper arms.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"Just a little upset," Serenity confessed. "Could somebody see to these two poor men, please? And please let me know if they had families."

"So, Hon', is that guy really your father?" Jupiter asked. "From the Crystal Kingdom? I have to admit that my memories of the place are pretty hazy."

"I don't know," Serenity said. "Excuse me, please. I want to look in on Setsuko." And she glided from the room, leaving questions on everybody's lips.

* * *

Returned to their civilian forms, Rei and Makoto walked leisurely down the hall from the Royal Receiving Room. Rei wanted to get back to the Shrine in the palace that Serenity had built for her, to research the legends of Tsukuyomi-no-mikoto in hopes of determining just who or what this stranger was. Perhaps she could even find a way to connect again with the gods and ask them. And if nothing else, to hopefully feel at ease again in familiar surroundings.

Makoto had concerns as well. She worried that Serenity, the woman she had devoted her life to, was under some sort of threat once again. And she was concerned too for her family, the other thing in her life that mattered more than anything. But she was also concerned for the friend she walked with, the friend she considered part of her family.

"So what do you think?" Makoto ventured.

"He's not a god," Rei remarked, her mouth hardened with the thought of someone pretending to be one of the gods she worshiped and respected. "No way he's a god."

"He's pretty handy with that sword, though," Makoto said in counterpoint. "And the way he can materialize; that's something Serenity does. Maybe he is her dad. After all, I remember my Earth dad, but not my Crystal Kingdom one. I'm sure I had one, but I don't remember him. Maybe this is the same thing."

"Maybe," Rei conceded. "I admit, I don't remember a lot about the Crystal Kingdom days, either. But even if he does turn out to be her biological father, that doesn't mean he's got her best interests at heart. I learned that the hard way."

"Oh, I'm not letting my guard down. He makes one wrong move toward her and he's going to be eating lightning. It'd be nice, though - - if he was really a good guy who just has a few things to learn about manners from us 'insects'."

Rei smirked momentarily. Makoto saw it and felt good. Then the smile faded all too quickly.

"Rei, if you want to talk about it," Makoto began. "Derek, I mean. If it's still too soon, I'll understand. But if you want to get it off your chest, you know I'm a good listener. And I am the unofficial queen of the broken hearts, so I might be able to help."

The priest let out a deep, depressed sigh that emanated from the depths of her soul. They arrived at the Shrine. She hesitated. Makoto knew it was always tough for Rei to open up, so she didn't push like she knew Serenity or Minako would have.

"Come on inside," Rei said, almost embarrassed.

Ten minutes later, Rei and Makoto were kneeling on the floor before a table. Rei poured them both tea. She put the pot down and just stared at it for the longest time. Makoto waited for her to pry her next words out of the protective box she kept her feelings in.

"Derek went back to America," Rei said finally. "To Oklahoma, his home."

"Was he homesick?" Makoto probed gently.

"No. He was," she began, then stopped. "I tried. Honestly, I did. And he was so loving and so supportive and so patient with me. But I couldn't give anything back to him. Between the nightmares and the depression, I couldn't give anything back. I was so distant, and I couldn't break through. And I'd get frustrated and angry and lash out. And then I'd withdraw more."

The priest bowed her head and rested it in her hand.

"Finally he couldn't take anymore," Rei murmured. "He left. I don't blame him. I'm amazed he stayed as long as he did. Makoto, I don't know what to do. I've tried to put it behind me, but those two years in that cell in that unholy dimension," and she inhaled emotionally, "it's like it's branded on my heart. Every time I begin to feel normal, something happens and-and I'm back there again. Makoto, I don't want to feel like this! I don't want to jump at shadows and feel like there's no hope left in the world!" She looked down, shamed. "I've even thought about - - oh please, don't tell Serenity this! But I've - - thought about - - considered - - ending it."

"Hey, hey!" Makoto leaned forward. Her cup was back on the table and she had her hand on Rei's wrist. "That's not an option! We can beat this, but not if you throw in the towel!"

"It's not what I want," Rei said. "But sometimes I wonder if it might be the only way to make this stop."

"It's not," Makoto assured her. "Derek was just a setback. You can still get back to being your old self. But maybe you need to break down and admit that you can't heal yourself through religious fervor and stubborn determination. Maybe you need to start seeing a professional. I'm sure Ami could recommend someone good if you don't want to go to her."

To Makoto's eyes, Rei suddenly seemed like a trapped animal.

"Rei, there's no shame in needing help. The shame is in ending it all and passing your problems onto the people who love you."

"I'll," Rei forced herself to say, "think about it. OK?"

"OK," Makoto nodded, suspecting she was being put off. "But on one condition: no more crazy talk like that. You so much as EVER have a thought like that, you call me. Day or night. I mean it."

"OK," Rei said. It seemed to Makoto that she seemed slightly relieved. "Thank you. I'm grateful for this. Really, I am."

"That's what friends do," Makoto said with a sentimental smile.

* * *

Cautiously Luna peered into the outer living area of the Royal Chambers. She had witnessed what had happened in the Receiving Room first hand and had wanted to try to console Serenity from the beginning. But she had stayed away out of deference to the Queen and her desire to be with her adopted daughter, Setsuko. After a time, though, the cat received a short, softly worded call from the Queen.

Serenity was sitting in a plush beige Queen Anne chair. Setsuko was sitting on her lap and the Queen was reading to the child. Sitting down by the door, Luna waited for Serenity to finish the story.

"And the Prince pulled Cinderella onto his horse," Serenity said, the joy in her voice evident to anyone listening, "and rode off with her to his castle, where they were married. And they lived happily ever after."

"That was nice," Setsuko said. "But I think I like the Disney version better."

"Oh, you kids," the Queen sighed dramatically. Setsuko shot her a devilish smirk. "OK, go and play. And stay out of trouble."

"Yes, Mama," the child replied. She slid off of Serenity's lap and headed for the door. "Hi, Luna!" she chirped as she whizzed past the cat.

"Hello, Setsuko-Chan," Luna nodded. When the girl was gone, the cat turned to the Queen, who was still in her chair. "You summoned me, Your Majesty?"

Serenity rubbed the first knuckle of one hand with the thumb of the other. And she hadn't challenged Luna on the use of title. The cat strolled over curiously.

"Luna," Serenity began hesitantly. "You remember the Crystal Kingdom better than anyone."

"Is he indeed your father?" Luna ventured. Serenity looked at her expectantly, and yet she seemed to fear the answer. "I must confess, I never met the man. By the time Artemis and I arrived in the Crystal Kingdom, your mother and father had already separated."

"What happened?"

The cat took a moment to choose where to begin. "You do recall that your mother, the first Queen Serenity, was a being from another universe, don't you?" Serenity nodded. "Well, she wasn't the only being of her kind. She confessed this to me once. A group of them had ventured into this galaxy, for reasons of which I'm not terribly clear on, and settled here. Some set up civilizations on Mars, others on the Moon, still others on Titan and Europa. They would venture to Earth from time to time and, given their unique abilities, were some of the inspirations for some of the ancient mythologies of Earth civilizations. Your mother, for example, was the inspiration for the Greek goddess Selene."

"And Tsukuyomi was the inspiration for the Japanese myth of Tsukuyomi-no-mikoto?" marveled Serenity.

"It wouldn't shock me," Luna shrugged. "Anyway, there were two competing factions among these beings from another universe. I don't know what they were competing for or against, but it was long, drawn out and contentious. Finally tiring of the dispute, the two factions made peace. And the symbol of their peace was an arranged marriage between a member of each faction. And that is how Queen Serenity came to be married to Tsukuyomi."

"She didn't marry for love!" Serenity gasped.

"No," Luna replied, disturbed by memories her tale was dredging up. "The two tried to make a go of it. They even sired a child from their union," and she glanced at Serenity, "obviously. But they were just too incompatible and the more they compromised in an effort to save the marriage, the more it seemed to drive a wedge between them. I imagine each one came to despise the other for the compromises they were forced to make - - or the ones they refused to make. Understand, this is all pieced together. Your mother didn't relish speaking about her time with Tsukuyomi and wasn't terribly forgiving when she did.

"Finally, Queen Serenity had enough. She left him, taking you with her. She made no demands on him other than he not have any contact with her or you. He accepted, apparently because he was that motivated to be done with her. Queen Serenity moved to a different part of the Moon and created the Crystal Kingdom." Luna glanced at Serenity. "And you know the rest."

Serenity sat silently, absorbing all of what Luna had told her.

"So what does he want, Luna?" the Queen asked finally.

"Not knowing the man, it's difficult to say," the cat replied. "Perhaps he has a sinister motive. His arrogance in the Receiving Room was consistent with the portrait your mother painted of him. But perhaps," and Luna hesitated for a moment, "he just wants to reconnect with his daughter."

"But do I want to reconnect with him?" Serenity asked no one in particular. "I had a father here on Earth. He was the best father a girl could ever have and I loved him so much. And this other man: he's just so arrogant and violent."

"I agree that the image I have of Tsukuyomi is as diametrically opposite to Kenji Tsukino as possible," Luna offered. "Whether you wish to get to know him is, of course, your decision, Your Majesty. If you wish my advice: Your mother wasn't always the best judge of character, but she felt strongly enough about Tsukuyomi's flaws to shield you from him."

"She also tried to shield me from Endymion," Serenity murmured.

"That's partially because you were fourteen at the time and thinking with your hormones," Luna commented acidly. "And she knew Tsukuyomi a good deal better than she knew Endymion. In this case, you might be wise to trust her judgment."

Serenity nodded solemnly. "You're probably right."

Seeing the Queen fall into an introspective silence, Luna backed out of the room and headed for the door. As she exited, she found Endymion waiting.

"It's all right to go in, Your Majesty," the cat nodded. "I believe Her Majesty could use another supportive presence right about now."

* * *

From atop Mount Fuji, Tsukuyomi stood and stared down at the palace gleaming in the waning sunlight of the day. He could see through the power of his crystal Serenity's every move, though his vision was sharper at night than it was now. He could see her melancholy and knew he was the cause of it. And that realization bothered him, for he wished no harm or distress to come to his beautiful child.

But at the same time, he knew she needed him, needed him to show her the possibility to which she could ascend to and to show her how she was diminishing herself now. And he would show her.

And she would love him for it.

Continued in Chapter 3


	3. Conflict

THE MOON KING  
Chapter 3: "Conflict"  
A Sailor Moon/Neo-Sailor Moon crossover fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

Minako Aino entered the Crystal Palace conference room brimming with curiosity. She had received a text from Makoto asking to meet. Since Makoto had asked for the meeting to be in the conference room and not Makoto's or Minako's quarters in the palace, she figured it was serious business that Makoto didn't want her family to overhear. Seeing Ami seated at the table as well confirmed the deduction.

"Sorry I took so long," Minako offered as she walked up to take a seat at the table, a round wooden table made of dark stained walnut. "The publicity for 'Sailor Moon vs. The Ice Creatures of Doom' has been killer the last few weeks. And before you say anything, I tried to get the title changed."

"It's all right. I only just got here myself," Ami told her. "Things were busy at the office today with conferences on new health program proposals. Now what was it you wished to talk to us about, Makoto? I assume that it concerns Serenity and this stranger that appeared earlier today?"

"Actually," Makoto said and the grim manner the woman had was instantly noticed by her two friends, "it's about Rei. I was talking to her earlier today."

"Derek left her, didn't he?" Minako asked.

"Yeah," Makoto sighed. "Rei told me it was because she was so depressed and distant that Derek finally got fed up."

"That can't be good, given her current bouts with depression and anxiety," Ami frowned.

"It's too bad, too. Derek was FINE," Minako added lustily.

"Guys, it's worse than that," Makoto said. She began fidgeting with her hands. "Rei told me that she's - - well - - thought about - - I mean considered - - um, suicide."

"Oh dear," Ami whispered.

"You talked her out of it, didn't you?" Minako asked anxiously.

"She wasn't on the ledge at that moment, Blondie," Makoto scowled. "I told her that wasn't the route to go, that she had friends here and that anytime it got to be too much, just call one of us. I hope that was the right thing to do. I've never dealt with anything like this."

"Did she happen to mention when she had these thoughts?" Ami asked pointedly.

"No. It seemed like it was during her time in The Philippines," Makoto replied. "But she didn't say for sure. Is that important?"

"Knowing whether it was a random side effect of her depression or a recurring thought process would be an indication of how serious the situation is and how close she might be to actually acting it out."

"Maybe we ought to go see her," Minako suggested. "Maybe draw her out. You know Rei, she can internalize stuff like this. And even if it was just a passing thought, she could probably use the company." Minako swallowed and glanced at the others. "You know, just to be safe."

"An excellent suggestion," Ami nodded.

Rei Hino was sitting in the center of the Shrine, at an alter that had survived the Ice Disaster and dated back nearly six hundred years. She placed a burning stick of incense horizontally on the alter and then bowed until her forehead touched the floor. As she did so, she whispered a prayer.

Then she heard the door slide open and rose up with a gasp of surprise.

"Uh," Minako began, looking chagrined as she stood in the doorway. Makoto and Ami were behind her and looked just as chagrined. "We didn't interrupt anything, did we?"

Rei released a sigh of relief. "I was just paying my respects to Kaa-San and Grandpa." Rei, dressed in her priest robes, rolled up to her feet and welcomed her friends in. "You'll all be so proud of me! I don't get anxiety attacks from being in an enclosed room anymore!"

"Hey, that's great," Makoto offered. Rei looked at her, then at the others.

"You told them, didn't you?" Rei sighed.

"Of course I told them! You scared the crap out of me!" howled Makoto.

"So you came to check on me?"

"Who says we were checking on you?" demanded Minako. "Can't old friends drop by for a visit?"

Rei gave her a stony look.

"OK, we were checking up on you," Minako shrugged.

"We're only concerned, Rei," Ami said.

"Yeah, you're one of us," Minako added. "Life wouldn't be the same without you."

"Well you don't have to worry," Rei assured them. "It only seems bleak every once in a while." She glanced at Makoto. "I assume you told them about Derek."

"You didn't say it was a secret," Makoto offered lamely.

"It's all right. After he left was a pretty bleak period. I got to my lowest point then. Life was just so - - hopeless." Rei absently stroked the sleeve on her robe. "I thought what was the point of going on?"

Then she glanced timidly at her three friends.

"Then I remembered," Rei said, her cheeks flushing just a bit. "I've got you three. I've got Serenity. My great grandmother is visiting in a few weeks. And I can stand closed rooms now, so I am getting slowly better."

"Sounds like you've got a pretty good handle on it," Minako nodded. She glanced at Makoto. "See, and you were worried."

"I am going to pound you, Blondie," Makoto fumed.

"No, she was right to worry," Ami countered. "Suicide is a matter that should never be taken lightly." She reached over and gathered Rei's hands in hers. "It sounds like you have a good grasp of the situation, Rei, and are making significant progress. But if you would like to talk more about this or ever have such feelings, we are always here for you."

"It's good to know," Rei said, misting up. "And it's nice to know I can turn to good friends like you," then she glanced at Makoto, "and you," and then glanced with a smirk at Minako, "and even you." Minako smirked back.

"Hey, you've been there for us," Makoto said sentimentally. "So do you feel like talking? It doesn't have to be about what happened in The Philippines. It can be anything."

"You've probably got other things to do," Rei replied.

"Not me," Makoto told her.

"My work is done for the evening," Ami said.

"I'd just be harassing Artemis," shrugged Minako. "I can do that anytime."

Rei looked at them. Tears began to well up in her eyes. Suddenly she lunged at them, one arm around Makoto and the other around Minako as she pressed her face to Ami's shoulder and pulled them all in close.

"Oh, you're all the best!" Rei whimpered.

"I'll fix us some food, if you've got any in here," Makoto said as they broke the hug. "Or we can go up to my quarters."

"I'm going to call Hayami and tell him where I'll be," Ami said.

"Hey, if you don't stock food in this place, we can go up to my place," Minako offered. Then she smirked. "When Makoto sees the place, I'll be able to get it cleaned for free."

Rei stood back and smiled and watched. And suddenly the dungeons of Knorr seemed a long, long way away.

* * *

"Where am I?"

Queen Serenity asked the question of no one in particular, as no one was around her. She was alone in a strange place. The silence was ominous.

Looking around, Serenity saw a sprawling fortress grounds with twenty foot stone walls and guard turrets at the four corners. Each turret had an ornate roof and were impressive structures. In the center of the enclosure was an ancient design feudal palace with dark wood for the roof and supports and a lighter wood for the walls. In a way, the design reminded her of the drawings of Nijo Castle that Rei had provided to her which she used as reference pictures when she drew "Fire Princess Rika".

The Queen started for the palace, but stopped when she noticed the soil under her white shoe. It was gray and dry, alien to anything she could remember seeing. Then she recalled that she had seen it once before: when she and the Senshi had visited the ruins of the Crystal Kingdom. Turning with a start, Serenity looked up in the sky searching for the Moon. Surely it would be visible in the low light of dusk. Her eyes fixed on a satellite in the sky.

It was Earth. She was on the Moon.

"Welcome to my castle, Usagi," a voice spoke from behind her. Serenity whirled and saw Tsukuyomi standing ten feet from her. "This is the place where you were born."

"How did you bring me here?" Serenity asked. She was confused and tried not to show it, failing miserably.

"Through the power of my Obsidian Crystal," Tsukuyomi told her. "Each one of my race has a crystal through which we make what we wish appear. It's much like the Silver Crystal you possess. The one you inherited from your mother. The crystals are what sets us apart from the humans who inhabit Earth."

"We're only apart from humanity if we choose to set ourselves apart from it," Serenity responded.

"Yes, so you believe," Tsukuyomi sighed. "Let's not get into that again. Perhaps we can take the question up again after we know each other better."

"What do you want from me?" Serenity demanded.

"What do I want? You're my daughter! I want to be your father!"

"Then why did you leave?" Serenity asked. There was no bitterness in her voice. Tsukuyomi had expected bitterness, but her lack of judgment threw him.

"I was a young fool," Tsukuyomi admitted, folding his arms across his muscular chest. "I was so desperate to escape a marriage that was crushing me that I gave up all claim to you. I've done many things over the years that I regret. That is the act that I regret the most. Back then I thought fatherhood would mean nothing to me. For a while, it didn't. But an emptiness has grown in my life and I realized that it was because you weren't there."

"Well, we all make mistakes," Serenity offered. "I understand, and I'm certain Serenity would understand as well."

"Perhaps," Tsukuyomi responded unconvincingly. "But she is gone and with her my pledge to stay away from you. She is no longer here to hold me to that."

"That's not a very honorable thing to say," Serenity said.

"Perhaps not, but it's how I feel," Tsukuyomi replied. "I have stayed away from you long enough. I wish to be a part of your life again. If our last meeting lacked courtesy and put you off," and he paused, momentarily choking on the words, "then I - - apologize. I am not always a gracious man."

"I forgive you," Serenity said. Though she hated killing, no one in her eyes was ever beyond redemption.

"It's," he began, a smile blooming on his moon face. "How could three words mean so much? You continue to be a revelation to me, Usagi."

"Life can surprise us with the things it can teach us," Serenity replied happily.

"Indeed," Tsukuyomi nodded vigorously. "Oh, Usagi, I have so many things to teach you! Come! Let me show you what the universe holds for you to discover! Let me teach you the miracles you can perform with the Silver Crystal!"

Serenity grew sad. "I told you," she began, "Oto-San. I have a life and duties on Earth. I can't just up and leave them behind on a whim."

"A whim?" Tsukuyomi bristled. "What I offer is more than a whim!"

"And I'm sure it's as valuable as you say," Serenity said. "But my life is on Earth and I must refuse it. I'm sorry, Oto-San."

"Usagi, I am your father," he said. "I know what's best for you."

"Oto-San, there's no need to get angry . . ."

"Obey me!" Tsukuyomi exclaimed. His hand shot out and clamped around Serenity's wrist with a grip of iron. She gasped in shock and turned away.

And woke up in her bed in the Royal Chambers. Turning over, she found Endymion asleep next to her. The Queen uttered a sigh of relief. She turned to look at the time.

Floating in the darkness were two yellow-green eyes. Serenity gasped in shock.

"Your Majesty?"

"Don't skulk around in the dark like that, Luna," fussed the Queen. "And don't call me 'Your Majesty'."

Serenity rolled over and buried her face in her pillow, leaving Luna to stare in the dark and wonder.

* * *

Serenity felt someone tug at her nightgown. She emitted a groan of frustration. Once again someone had the cruel audacity to drag her from the bosom of blessed sleep.

"Oh, just five more minutes, Mom," she whined, her eyes still glued shut.

"Mama!" Setsuko fumed, tugging on the nightgown again.

"Oh, just five more minutes, Setsuko-Chan," Serenity whined.

"Mama, you gotta get up! I'm hungry!"

"You know how to cook, don't you?"

"YOUR MAJESTY!" roared Luna.

"SHUT UP, LUNA!"

"Come on, Dear, get up," Endymion said. She felt him smack her bottom and jumped with a start.

"That's grounds for divorce, you know!" the Queen growled.

"Come on, Setsuko-Chan," Endymion chuckled. "I'll fix something."

"Thank you, Endymnnnn. . ." Serenity said as she drifted back to sleep. Endymion left the room, Setsuko scampering ahead of him.

"Your Majesty," Luna said with thinning patience.

"Tol' yuh nog tuh call me thut," Serenity replied, her voice muffled by her pillow.

"Your Majesty," the cat sighed, "don't make me use my claws."

"All right!" Serenity barked, throwing the covers off of her and swinging to a sitting position. "Nag!"

After several moments, Serenity pried an eye open to see if Luna was still there. The cat sat at her feet, glaring up at the Queen. Emitting a sigh of disgust, Serenity pushed off of the bed and trudged for the outer room, feeling with her hand for the door so she didn't have to open her uncooperative eyes. Fortunately she knew the outer room from memory. Continuing to feel her way, she made it to the table and sat down. Her hands blindly searched out until they found a bowl. But putting her fingers inside the bowl told her it was empty.

"Endymion?" the Queen inquired sleepily. "Isn't breakfast ready yet?"

"Your Majesty," Luna called from across the room.

"Lunaaaaaaa!" fumed the Queen.

"Come over to the window, please!" Luna exclaimed. "Now!"

Puzzled by the cat's urgency, Serenity forced her eyes open and brushed back the strands of blonde hair falling into her face. Endymion, Setsuko and Luna were all gathered at the window that overlooked the east side of Tokyo.

"Why is it so dark?" Serenity asked as she glided over to the window. "I thought you said it was morning. If it's still night, I'm going back to bed!"

"It's seven fifteen, Dear," Endymion told her. When she reached the window, he pivoted and headed for a phone.

"Mama?" Setsuko asked cautiously, looking up at Serenity. "Why is it so dark? Where's the sun?"

"I don't know," Serenity replied, awed by what she saw. "Are we having an eclipse?"

"According to my PDA, the next solar eclipse isn't due until August 7, 2017," Luna informed them. "That's over a year from now."

"Well, that's what we're having," Endymion said as he hung up the phone. "I checked with Tokyo Police. According to the observatory, the Moon is in synchronous orbit with Earth around the sun, blocking the sun's rays from hitting Earth."

"How is that possible?" Luna exclaimed.

"It shouldn't be," Endymion frowned.

"It is for me," they heard Tsukuyomi say. Everyone looked and saw Serenity's birth father standing in the other side of the room. Setsuko clutched Serenity's thigh anxiously. Endymion was suddenly wearing his black armor.

"What do you mean?" Serenity asked, her hand protectively on Setsuko.

"The Moon is mine to command," he replied. "I have placed it between Earth and the Sun and there it will remain, depriving all life on Earth of the benefits of the Sun. Your plants will die. Your planet will grow cold. You will know nothing but night until I choose to move it. And I will only move it for one thing."

"What?" Serenity asked as if she already knew the answer.

"Come with me, Usagi," Tsukuyomi demanded. "Be my daughter."

Continued in Chapter 4


	4. Acquiescence

THE MOON KING  
Chapter 4: "Acquiescence"  
A Sailor Moon/Neo-Sailor Moon crossover fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

Feeling the Senshi communicator vibrating on her wrist, Minako dragged herself to the surface of consciousness and treaded water. The last thing she remembered was sitting around a table in the Shrine, laughing and trading news and gossip with Ami, Rei and Makoto, just as they had since junior high, into the wee hours of the morning.

"Artemis, I told you not to set the alarm," growled the blonde as she struggled to rise from the spot on the floor she'd been sleeping on.

"Yes, Luna, I understand," she heard Ami say.

Opening her eyes, and ignoring their protests, Minako saw Ami speaking over her Senshi communicator. Ami was awake and alert, even though she'd slept no more than Minako had. Makoto was still drowsy, but up and looking at Ami. Rei was on her other side, more awake and concentrating solely on Ami. Ami turned to them as she closed the communicator.

"Tsukuyomi has returned," she reported. Minako was suddenly fully awake. "He's in the Royal Chambers, having a confrontation with Serenity."

"Jupiter Crystal Power," Makoto shouted, her henshin stick already out, "make up!"

Rei and Minako weren't far behind. Ami was actually the last to act. Sailor Jupiter was already out the door by the time she transformed. Taking a moment to activate her visor and summon her Senshi computer, Mercury followed Venus and Mars out the door.

* * *

"I can't believe it," Serenity responded in utter incredulity, her voice robbed of its timber by surprise. "You'd - - exterminate an entire planet? Just to get hold of me?"

"You make yourself seem like a trophy," scoffed Tsukuyomi. "You're my daughter. Think more highly of yourself."

"I'm thinking about all of the lives of all the people on this world," Serenity argued. "You would seriously kill them all?"

"They're humans," Tsukuyomi responded. "They mean nothing to me. If exterminating them is what it takes to open your eyes and get you to see who you really are, then I will do it without hesitation."

"Unless we stop you," Endymion lunged forward, drawing his sword.

The shrill sound of his wife crying his name ringing in his ears, Endymion swung his sword. His intent was to disarm, to drive Tsukuyomi from his home and his wife. He would never kill, for she would not approve. But Tsukuyomi's sword was out and met Endymion's with a sharp sound of steel hitting steel. The two blades glanced away. Tsukuyomi was fast, however, and his sword was up and ready for another thrust. Endymion barely avoided it, and the next one.

Reaching under his cloak, Endymion pulled a rose out. In a single motion he had it up and threw it at Tsukuyomi. The Moon King, though, waved his free hand and the rose deflected off of a barrier, much like the barrier Serenity often erected to protect herself. Once it was no longer needed, the barrier disappeared, allowing Tsukuyomi to thrust again. The sword blade shot out. Endymion ducked to the side, but not fast enough. The blade caught armor and flesh and rent both. Stumbling to one knee as Serenity shrieked in terror in the background, Endymion grabbed the upper part of his sword arm. He looked up at Tsukuyomi, saw him prepare for the kill stroke and crouched to move - - hopefully in time.

"SUPREME THUNDER!" rang through the room.

It was followed by a massive bolt of electricity that jumped at Tsukuyomi like a hungry animal. The bolt struck the Moon King and he staggered, illuminating the room momentarily. Setsuko clung fearfully to Serenity's leg. Luna shielded her eyes. The suddenly hot air seemed to pop. But when the bolt was spent, Tsukuyomi still stood.

In the blink of an eye, he had his bow out and an arrow in it. A single second later saw the arrow zip across the room. Sailor Jupiter was struck chest high and driven back until she hit the wall behind her. The arrow pinned her to the wall as her head lolled forward. Venus and Mars were just entering the room. Their eyes popped.

"FIRE SOUL!" roared Sailor Mars.

A spark ignited above her steepled index fingers and exploded forward in a massive fireball. The fireball sped across the room, engulfing Tsukuyomi in an instant, then passing over him and impacting with the door to the Royal Bedroom. A scorch pattern was left on the wall behind him. Tsukuyomi was untouched. His barrier shimmered for a moment in the light and disappeared.

"Jupiter! Don't move!" Serenity cried. She had run over to Jupiter, heedless of any possible physical threat to herself. The arrow was to the left of her arm, below the collarbone. Jupiter was still alive, so it hadn't pierced her heart, but her breathing was ragged. She looked at Serenity with unfocused eyes. Serenity grasped the arrow in her right hand, then closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The arrow dissolved into atoms. Then her hand pressed to the wound. Another deep breath and the wound was gone.

Tsukuyomi was about to fire on Sailor Mars.

"Venus!" Venus snapped, stepping out from behind Sailor Mars. "Love and Beauty Shock!"

The blast of energy struck Tsukuyomi's barrier full force. The intruder stepped back once, then again under the force of the impact. But he didn't fall.

Springing up from where he had been kneeling, Endymion slashed up with his sword. He grimaced from the pain shooting up his arm as rivulets of blood flowed down and stained his cloak and armor. Tsukuyomi couldn't bring his sword to bear because he still held his bow. So he deflected the sword thrust with his hand. Off-balance, Endymion stumbled back to his knees. But as he landed, he swung up with his healthy arm and threw three roses at his opponent. Two missed, but the third embedded in Tsukuyomi's face. Tsukuyomi staggered back and came to rest against the scorched wall.

"Mercury!" Sailor Mercury shouted. "Aqua Rhapsody!"

From nowhere a wave of water inundated Tsukuyomi, then flash froze around him, sealing the being in ice. As silence overtook the room, Mars had her flaming bow and arrow out and pointed at him. Venus stood at the ready to deliver another energy blast, while Jupiter was recovered enough to stand next to Venus, the lightning rod in her tiara crackling ominously.

Then the unimaginable happened. Like a wraith, Tsukuyomi stepped through the ice that held him and solidified again outside. He gave a look of annoyance to Endymion and the Senshi.

Mars fired her arrow. Venus threw another blast. Jupiter summoned another bolt of lightning while Mercury prepared to summon Shabon Spray and spirit Serenity away under its cover.

With a violent motion outward of both hands, Tsukuyomi expanded his barrier and shot it forward. The barrier struck Endymion and the Senshi hard, though it passed harmlessly through Serenity, Setsuko and Luna. The five struck were thrown hard against the walls of the room. When the barrier dissipated, the five struck sank to the floor. Shouldering his bow, Tsukuyomi drew his sword again.

"Don't kill them!" cried Serenity.

"Do you yield?" Tsukuyomi inquired. "Will you come with me to my castle on the Moon and be my daughter? Or do you wish to watch me gut them and then watch your planet slowly wither away and die? Choose!"

"I," Serenity stammered, "won't let you kill them!"

"Do you think you can stop me?" Tsukuyomi asked her.

Then he raised his sword to cleave Endymion's head from his shoulders. Setsuko shrieked in terror as Luna tried to herd the girl away. As the sword reached the top of its arc, Serenity stepped into its path and erected an energy barrier, much like the one Tsukuyomi had made to protect himself. The sword came down on the barrier. Upon impact, Serenity winced. But the blade slid to the side and then fell away, leaving the barrier intact.

"Good!" Tsukuyomi nodded, fire in his eyes. "Your barrier is strong! Your power has grown since you stopped using it to build houses for these insignificant humans!"

"How do you know about that?" Serenity asked.

"I've been watching over you," Tsukuyomi told her, his sword pointed and ready to use. "From the Moon; I've watched over you since your rebirth."

"Watching me?" gasped the Queen.

"Of course! You're my daughter! I only want what's best for you!"

"When I died at Beryl's hand? When I fought Galaxia?" Serenity howled incredulously. "When I was frozen alive for two years? You were watching the entire time? Why didn't you do something? All of the people who died . . .!"

"Mean nothing," Tsukuyomi reiterated, "as I said. Only you matter. As for the trials you faced, we grow stronger or we die. That is the way of life. I could have aided you then, but you would not have become who you are now had I done it." The sword lowered. "Usagi, you have so much potential! More than me! More than your mother - - and she built a kingdom with nothing but her crystal and her own will! You could be so much more than either of us - - than both of us! But not if you continue to be anchored to this planet by these insects who court your charity and give you nothing in return!"

"But Oto-San," Serenity replied. "They do give me something. They give me the wonderment of their lives. If you can't see it, it's because you haven't looked. There's magic in each and every being on this world. And if I can bring that magic to the surface, I'll have accomplished a feat beyond anything like building a crystal kingdom. Open your heart, Oto-San. Open your heart and look."

"Must I destroy every form of life on this world to get you to let it go?" Tsukuyomi fumed.

Again he swung his sword and again Serenity blocked it. Then she pointed at the sword. The sword suddenly glowed silver, then dissipated like mist.

"Well struck," Tsukuyomi replied with a grim nod to her. Then he extended his hand from his body. The sword materialized again in his hand.

Serenity once more raised her barrier to protect her Senshi. Jupiter and Endymion were beginning to stir. Tsukuyomi once again prepared to strike the barrier with his sword. Then he stopped and stared at Serenity - - and smiled.

"You're trying to move the Moon out of its synchronous orbit," Tsukuyomi said, his eyes dancing with pride. "But it's a little too much for you to handle, isn't it girl?"

Serenity looked at him like a five year old caught raiding a cookie jar.

Suddenly Tsukuyomi lunged at her. His sword struck, then struck again. Again and again, right, left, up, down, the blade impacted with Serenity's barrier. The Queen began to bend under the weight of the attack. She gave ground until she nearly stepped on Mars. On and on it came, never giving Serenity a chance to catch her breath or go on the offensive. Serenity bent lower and lower, until finally she collapsed to the floor. The barrier shattered. Endymion was about to spring at him, but the blade of Tsukuyomi's sword came to rest against the King's throat.

"The choice is yours, Usagi," Tsukuyomi said with deadly earnest. "You can come with me before I decimate this world, or after. But you will come with me."

"Don't! Please don't kill him!" exclaimed Serenity.

"The choice is yours," Tsukuyomi responded. Serenity looked down.

"Don't give in, Serenity!" Jupiter hissed. "We're not worth your freedom!"

"Yes you are," Serenity choked out. "And it's not just you. It's the whole world. He'll destroy everyone. I believe that. And I can't stop it."

"Serenity!" Mars fumed, just now pulling herself up. She grabbed the Queen's gown for emphasis, but Serenity easily pulled out of her grip when she rose.

"I'll go with you," Serenity said. "But only if you vow never to hurt anyone on this planet. I won't go otherwise."

"Serenity, no!" Venus groaned as she struggled to rise.

"I so vow," Tsukuyomi replied, "if you vow not to run off at the first opportunity."

"I do," Serenity murmured.

"M-Mama?" Setsuko exclaimed fearfully. Instantly Serenity knelt down and hugged the child.

"I'm sorry, Setsuko-Chan!" Serenity whispered. "Mama has to go. Please take care of your Papa and always mind him. Be good - - and - - grow up to be someone I'd be proud of."

Releasing her, Serenity stood up. She turned and her eyes locked with Endymion's. He was still at the edge of the sword blade.

"I'll see you soon," Endymion told her.

Serenity just turned away, hiding her tears. Tsukuyomi extended his hand to her. Serenity took it. And the pair faded from view.

"Mamaaaaaaaaa!" Setsuko shrieked. The child ran to the window and peered up at the moon still overhead in the night sky of morning. "MAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

* * *

Jupiter paced like a caged tiger. Mercury sat typing on her Senshi computer. Mars sat in a corner, praying. Venus just sat and stared, a grim look on her face. Luna and Artemis watched them and worried.

"We have to do something!" spat Jupiter. "Who knows what he's doing to her!"

"We're going to wait for Endymion," Venus told her in a manner that wasn't a suggestion. "He's got to be in on this."

"Wait?" Jupiter growled. "We can't afford to wait! And she can't afford for us to wait! We can teleport as far as the Moon! We've got to go in and take her back!"

"A frontal attack would be suicidal," Mercury said as she continued to type. "Tsukuyomi has already demonstrated his superiority in sheer power to even Serenity. A frontal attack would have a microscopic chance of success and in all probability lead to severe casualties."

Jupiter glared at her. If anyone else had said that to her, she would have argued, vehemently. But this was Mercury. In frustration, Jupiter turned and kicked the wall behind her. Her foot went through the wall, creating a fourteen inch in diameter hole.

"Jupe, I know you're frustrated," Venus said, trying to summon a calming tone to her voice and not entirely succeeding. "But we've got to do this right. We're probably only going to get one chance at it. And we're going to need Endymion, because we don't have any hope of standing up to Tsukuyomi's power without him."

"If it helps," Artemis offered, "I managed to contact Haruka and Michiru in Hokkaido. They said they're leaving immediately for Tokyo."

"Glad they found the time," muttered Jupiter.

The door opened. Everyone turned to it and found Endymion closing the door. He looked drained and weary.

"I finally got Setsuko calmed down," he reported. "She's sleeping now."

"I'll go stay with her," Luna said and quickly left the room.

"Was her mood any better?" Mercury asked.

"I told her that I was going to bring her Mama back to her and that she had to stay strong until then," Endymion said. "I'm not sure she believes me, but she is trying."

"Actually that's a good sign," Mercury admitted. She'd stopped typing and was just staring at her laptop. "Given her emotional outburst, I was afraid of a relapse into her severe separation anxiety behavior. But she's at least trying to cope."

"OK, we're all here," Mars said, rolling to her feet from her prayer position. "Let's not make a liar out of Endymion." Jupiter nodded resolutely.

"You've been typing on that computer a lot," Venus observed. "Got a sure-fire, foolproof plan to make all of this right?"

"I was analyzing the readings I took during the battle with Tsukuyomi," Mercury outlined. "How to put this - - say the level of power of a normal human is represented by a two meter tree."

"Interesting metaphor," Venus commented.

"We as Sailor Senshi would be a three point one meter tree," Mercury continued. "Endymion would be a six point seven meter tree, and Serenity would be an eight point one meter tree." She exhaled. "Tsukuyomi would be thirteen point one meters."

"All that means is we have to go into battle with a sharp saw," Jupiter scowled.

"Yes," Mercury replied, "but where are we going to get the saw?"

"Maybe one of us has to be the saw," Mars spoke up. "If it takes him with me, I'll gladly lay down my life to free her." Mercury and Venus glanced uneasily at her.

"Wait a minute, wait a minute," Jupiter interjected. "Tell me if I'm off base, Mercury. We're all three meter trees separately. But together we're a twelve. Tsukuyomi's only a thirteen. Throw Endymion in there and we're - - what?"

"Roughly twenty," Mars answered. "Compared to his thirteen."

"No," Mercury replied. "Even acting in strict concert, it would be four threes and a six, not a combination thereof."

"Combination," Endymion murmured. "Maybe that's the answer. If we attack as a squad of five, we're just four threes and a six. But if we were one entity with all of our powers intact, maybe we would be able to overpower him."

"Combine into one Super-Senshi?" Venus asked. "Sounds like a gas. But can it be done? We've never tried anything like that before."

"I'm sure we could," Mars whispered, "if Serenity were here."

Everyone grew silent.

"Well, she's not," Endymion spoke up. "So I'll just have to try to substitute."

The four Senshi looked at each other curiously. Then they all nodded in unison.

"Hang on, Serenity," Jupiter said, glancing up at the sky. "We're coming for you."

Continued in Chapter 5


	5. Merger

THE MOON KING  
Chapter 5: "Merger"  
A Sailor Moon/Neo-Sailor Moon crossover fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

"Scientists at The National Astronomical Observatory released a report on the strange solar eclipse experienced by Japan and the entire world this morning," read the news anchor on TV Asahi. "They report the Moon was actually in synchronous orbit with Earth, blocking the sun from the planet for several hours. This unprecedented phenomenon was confirmed by both the Mitaka and Okayama facilities."

"Here it comes," Artemis commented as he and Luna watched the report.

"Though the phenomenon is over, a country-wide cloud of fear has descended on Japan," she continued. "The official comment from the Crystal Palace is that the Moon was artificially affected by an extraterrestrial force and that Queen Serenity and the Sailor Senshi have the situation under control."

"Some control," Artemis sighed.

"Well would you have preferred I tell the masses that Her Majesty has been abducted to the Moon by her biological father and may never return?" Luna groused. "There'd be panic in the streets."

"Maybe you're not giving the people enough credit."

"It's too soon after the upheaval with the Ice Giants. And besides, if word of Her Majesty's absence got out, it might embolden certain parties."

"Opposition leader Dietman Takahashi was critical of the release," the news anchor said. "He called for an investigation into the true state of the Japanese government and what new dangers it faces."

"Speaking of which," scowled the cat. "That wretched Takahashi is wasting little time in forwarding his agenda."

"We're not being told the whole truth," Takahashi said, the taped sound bite playing on television now. "The monarchy has been vague on details of this morning's incident and on the rumors now circulating. Are we under attack? Will we be invaded again? And where is the vaunted Sailor Moon in all of this?"

"Oh, I could bite that man on his skulking little shank!" Luna spat.

"I'd actually like to see that," Artemis smirked at her.

"Oh, hush," Luna fussed. "Artemis, kindly make yourself useful and check on the Senshi and whether they've made any progress."

Artemis exited the control center he and Luna had set up and headed down to the palace gymnasium. It was where the Senshi often went to train or try out new strategy. Ami and Makoto were frequent users of the facility, as were some of the staff of the palace. Smiling to himself, Artemis wondered if it was the first time Minako had set foot in the room.

Cautiously the cat peered in, not wanting to interrupt something important. What he saw shocked him. Standing in the room was a twelve foot humanoid figure, vaguely female. She wore a sailor fuku with a blue kerchief and a red skirt, with gold slippers and a green bow at the chest and in the back. Her black hair was pulled back into a ponytail, tied off with a red bow, with rough bangs dangling across her forehead and tiara. A black cloak was draped over her shoulders and her throat was adorned with a black choker with a red rose on the right side.

Observing the towering woman were Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune.

"World Shaking!" Uranus said suddenly.

She launched her attack, the force tearing across the floor of the gym directly at the strange being. The being turned and threw up her cloak as a shield. The force bubble struck the cloak and dissipated, leaving the towering woman unharmed.

"Deep Submerge!" Neptune called out, launching a wave of water at her opponent.

"Shocking Rhapsody!" the stranger called out and for a moment Artemis thought he heard an echo of Sailor Venus.

Neptune's wave was met head on by a wave from the stranger. It flash froze Neptune's wave, then a moment later exploded in a shower of ice and water. Neptune was hurled backwards onto a nearby mat. Instantly Uranus was kneeling by her side.

"You OK?" Uranus gasped.

"I'll live," Neptune responded, though she was still shaken. "That was quite a powerful counterattack. Clearly this form has upgraded their attacks."

"You five managed to merge?" Artemis gasped.

"Yeah, Fuzzy," the being said, turning to the white cat and flashing him the cocky grin that Minako always used. "It's all five of us, swimming in the same gene pool." Immediately she turned away and muttered,"That was terrible, Blondie."

Neptune stared suspiciously.

"And you're able to act like that?" Artemis asked.

"That's what we're working on, now," she replied, sounding more like Endymion this time. "Acting as a team is one thing, but acting as a single entity takes a lot more coordination and . . ."

Then the being began to shake. She doubled over, sucking in air loudly. At once there was a brilliant flash of light. When it dissipated, Endymion and the four inner Senshi were sitting on the floor. The others looked stunned, but Mars was doubled over, holding her head in her hands.

"I'm sorry," gasped Mars. "I - - couldn't hold it."

"Sharing a mind and a body is a new experience for them," Endymion explained. "I've merged with Serenity before, so I'm a little more used to it." He saw Artemis still didn't understand. "The - - overwhelming intimacy of five personalities sharing a single mind and body can be a little, well, disconcerting."

"Mars, I understand this can be uncomfortable," Mercury began. "It's quite uncomfortable for me . . ."

"No, you don't understand!" Mars cut her off. The Senshi was still quivering. "My psychic sensitivity makes this ten times more intense for me than it does for any of you. It-it felt like I was drowning - - losing myself - - in all of you. It was bad enough when I could read people and not be able to turn it off. But this," and she shuddered. "Maybe you'd better leave me behind."

"I'd rather not," Venus spoke up. "Our odds of beating Tsukuyomi are that much better with you. Hey, take a break. Go meditate or pray or sleep or whatever you do to relax. Maybe you'll be able to cope with it a little better."

"I'm not sure I can," whispered Mars.

"If you can't, you can't. I know you're trying. But if you can't, just tag along and guard our back. Either way, you'll contribute."

Mars looked down and exhaled. "Thanks, Venus."

The fire Senshi got up and left.

"This is a concern," Neptune observed after Mars left.

"She'll come around," Jupiter maintained.

"Perhaps," Neptune replied. "But it speaks to a larger issue. You haven't been able to maintain this 'Super-Senshi' form for very long."

"We just started!" bristled Jupiter. "We'll get it. We have to."

"And there's another thing I've noticed," Neptune added. "Rather than try to act as a coordinated individual, perhaps one of you should be made the dominant personality. No matter how coordinated a team you are, different people will react differently in times of stress. You could potentially sabotage your efforts without meaning to."

"Yeah, I was thinking the same thing," Venus nodded. "There should be just one of us running the show in a fire fight."

"Well then I say Mercury. We all know she's the best at strategy out of all of us," Jupiter stated.

"Yeah, Mercury's the best at strategy," Artemis said. "But she spends too much time analyzing things before she acts."

"So who do you want?" Jupiter asked.

"Venus. She's more experienced and more intuitive in a fight."

"Aw, you fuzzy little darling," Venus grinned. "Not exactly what I'd want on a Valentine's Day card, but it's still nice to hear."

"You both make salient points," Mercury interjected. "But Endymion has the most experience with merged forms. And he has the most incentive to win. I think he should be the dominant mind."

As the Senshi discussed the problem, Neptune silently signaled Uranus out of the room. Out in the hall, they reconvened.

"I'm not sure this is going to work," Uranus said. "And even if it does, it's going to take too long to iron out all of the bugs."

"My thoughts exactly," Neptune nodded. "I think we're going to have to try something else."

Uranus met Neptune's gaze and nodded grimly.

* * *

It had been like stepping into her own manga. When Tsukuyomi brought her to his castle on the Moon, it was just like the one in her dream. The design, the architecture, was all like something out of thirteenth century feudal Japan. There were even servants: pale white humanoids, vaguely female, dressed in kimonos and wearing old style black wigs, their "hair" piled up atop their heads and held with kanzashi rods. Tsukuyomi told her he had created them out of moon dust with his crystal. They were servile and obedient, tending to her every need efficiently and with single-minded dedication. But when Serenity tried to engage one of them in conversation, she found they couldn't speak and had only the most rudimentary of thought processes. After a few days, she stopped trying.

She still recalled that first night.

"Do you like it?" Tsukuyomi asked as he showed her around the castle. "It may not be what you're used to . . ."

"It's very," Serenity responded half-heartedly, "traditional. Did you copy it from the designs of Earth castles?"

"I suppose there are some similarities," Tsukuyomi commented. "Perhaps the ancestor of the designer saw it here on the Moon and touched the designer's dreams. Humans can be funny that way."

"Then there were humans here?" Serenity asked. "During the time of the Crystal Kingdom?"

Tsukuyomi hardened. "Not by my doing. Humanity intruded, as they always do. Once they discovered the mystic portal that led them to the Moon, they couldn't stay away." He snorted. "It's sort of like discovering cockroaches in your pantry." He scowled, then seemed to make a decision. "Are you hungry? I'll have a meal prepared."

Without waiting for an answer, Tsukuyomi signaled to two servants. The humanoids bowed and scurried off. But when his gaze returned to Serenity, he found her looking up at the Earth overhead.

"Don't get any ideas," he responded gruffly. "I meant what I said."

"Don't worry," Serenity sighed, her tone one of disappointment - - perhaps in him? "I made a vow and I'll live up to it. But the Earth and all of my loved ones there won't disappear from my heart. No matter how many threats you make."

His mouth thinned.

"I didn't want to threaten you," he huffed. "But sometimes a recalcitrant child will only respond to threats." He softened. "Do you wish me to show you something?"

Serenity turned to him unenthusiastically. He had a crystal in his hand. It was clear, but with a blue tint that ran through it at odd angles.

"Take it," he said, gesturing with the crystal.

Taking the jewel from him, Serenity let it slide into her palm neutrally. After a few moments, though, an image sprang up before her from the crystal. It was a baby, round and soft and pink, with a small tuft of yellow down atop her head. Serenity gasped in surprise. The baby in the image began to squirm until she found a comfortable spot, then settled in for a contented nap.

"Oh!" the Queen responded. "Why she's adorable! Who is she?"

Tsukuyomi seemed to mist up, a sharp change from his gruff warrior personae.

"That's you," he said hoarsely. "When you were only a few months old. You're cradled in your mother's arms."

Serenity looked up at him, surprised that he had a sentimental side.

"Those are happy memories, Usagi," Tsukuyomi said. He seemed uncomfortable, not with the memories, but with the emotions they inspired. "I've longed for them."

"What happened?" Serenity asked. "Why did you and Mother separate? Why did she leave?"

"Revenge," Tsukuyomi grunted bitterly.

"For what?"

Just then, the two servants returned, along with two more who looked just like them. All four carried trays of food and began to transfer dishes of food from the trays to a table in the room.

"As I recall, you have a healthy appetite," Tsukuyomi said, turning to the table. "Eat as much as you like, Usagi."

"Oto-San, what did she want revenge for?" Serenity persisted.

But the Moon King refused to answer.

* * *

It had been three days since she had arrived. In that time, Tsukuyomi had attempted to show her how to improve her power and control over her Silver Crystal. But she had been an inattentive and unmotivated student. He had allowed her to ask him about his history, but all she seemed to want to talk about was his relationship with the first Queen Serenity and why it had ended. And that was still too painful a subject for him to dwell upon for long. Then he would retreat in frustration. When he returned, he would often find her drawing. Where she had obtained paper and pencil, he didn't know.

Perhaps she'd used her crystal to make them out of moon dust. He'd compliment her on her art, but it was too foreign a subject to him and he couldn't use it to establish a connection with her. But as foreign as it was to him, it was still preferable to what else he would find her doing.

"Are you staring at the Earth again?" he exclaimed in frustration.

Serenity was sitting on a stool, looking out of the window up at the Earth in the sky.

"Wouldn't it be better to forget it all?" Tsukuyomi asked. "Why do you torture yourself so?"

"When I was on Earth," Serenity replied, never taking her eyes off of the planet looming in the sky, "didn't you use to watch me? It's the same. I have a daughter there. A daughter who needs me."

"She's not your real daughter," Tsukuyomi said. "She's just a human."

"She is my real daughter," Serenity countered, turning to him, "as real as if she were my own flesh and blood. Genetic lines don't matter. If you love that child, she's your child. It's no different from your feelings for me."

"You're speaking foolishness," grunted Tsukuyomi.

"It's not foolishness," Serenity argued. "Why do you hate humans so? What did they do to you?"

"You are confusing disdain with hatred," Tsukuyomi claimed. "Humans are skulking, selfish little opportunists. They lie, they cheat, they steal, all for their own aggrandizement. And they're too stupid and selfish to realize when they're being used. And when they do realize that they've hastened their own death, they squeal like all the other lower animals, letting their fear soil and destroy their honor."

"That's a pretty dim view," Serenity replied.

"Tell me I'm wrong."

"No, you're not wrong," Serenity shrugged. "Humanity is all that. But you're only looking at them and seeing their worst. There's so much good that humanity is capable of - - so much good they've already accomplished. And they love. And any species capable of love is a noble species."

"That's your mother talking," Tsukuyomi scowled. "She thought they could be redeemed, too. Mind you, she didn't trust them anymore than I did. Oh, she was livid when she found out that you had taken up with that-that Earth prince. But she thought they could be redeemed - - with the proper encouragement."

His eyes sought the floor.

"See what it got her."

Serenity was about to respond. But Tsukuyomi stopped and stared out into space.

"Oto-san? What is it?" Serenity asked.

"Wait here," Tsukuyomi replied. It was not a request. His chin dropped to his chest and his eyes closed. And he faded from view. Amazed, Serenity turned and looked out the window, wondering if she could see him.

Crouched behind a large rock, Uranus and Neptune observed the castle. Their talismans were in their hands.

"Looks like the wind was right about this blue area," Neptune said to Uranus. "This atmosphere is close to Earth's. I wonder how he does it."

"I wonder if it'll disappear when we kill him," Uranus replied. Neptune glanced over at her and saw Uranus was in the zone and ready for battle.

Good. So was she.

"I hope you both are prepared to die," Tsukuyomi said, materializing thirty feet behind them.

Continued in Chapter 6


	6. Desperation

THE MOON KING  
Chapter 6: "Desperation"  
A Sailor Moon/Neo-Sailor Moon crossover fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

"I hope you both are prepared to die," Tsukuyomi said, materializing thirty feet behind them.

Without looking back, Uranus suddenly spun and in one motion swung her Space Sword.

"Space Sword Blaster!" she shouted, launching energy arcs from the blade. She'd aimed blindly, swinging for the position of the voice behind her - - for what other male voice was on this satellite than Tsukuyomi?

The arcs were upon him before he was prepared for them. Tsukuyomi threw up his hands to ward off the blast, but some of it got through and struck him. Staggering back, his wooden sandals making little rectangular divots in the Moon surface, Tsukuyomi struggled to stay upright. As he drew his sword, he looked up. Uranus had immediately charged him after striking. She leaped at him to gain height and give herself a downward stroke with the sword. The blade came down, but Tsukuyomi was able to block the stroke with his own sword before it struck. The loud sound of metal impacting with metal echoed through the blue area and only stopped when it reached the outer parts of the region, dying where there was no air to carry it.

Uranus lashed out with her right foot and caught her opponent on the jaw. Though she had put everything she had behind it, Tsukuyomi was barely staggered. He turned back to Uranus, his sword at the ready. Uranus held her Space Sword up and for a moment Tsukuyomi wondered if she would be fast enough to parry his strike.

"Submarine Violin Tide!" Neptune called out. Tsukuyomi turned to her and saw the woman had a golden violin under her chin and was about to run a bow across the strings. And he realized suddenly that the kick from Uranus had been nothing more than a distraction.

The bow caressed the strings of the violin, producing a melodic sound. It was low at first, but the pitch suddenly began to build. When it reached a particular pitch, sonic waves exploded from violin directly for him. Tsukuyomi erected a barrier and the sound waves struck it. But the harmonics of the blast caused his barrier to begin sympathetic vibrations. This was something he never encountered before. Tsukuyomi stared at the vibrating barrier for a moment.

Then it exploded into him from all sides. The force squeezed him like a vise. When it dissipated, Tsukuyomi slumped to the Moon's surface, a small cloud of dust wafting up from where he collapsed. The Moon King was momentarily stunned and fought to regain his senses. From nowhere he felt his head jerk back, exposing his throat. Uranus had hold of his chonmage in one hand and was prepared to lop off his head with the Space Sword.

Feeling rather than seeing, Tsukuyomi erected a barrier around himself in time. The blade of the Space Sword impacted the barrier and bounced off. Neptune prepared to give him another violin blast, but stopped when Tsukuyomi simply faded away.

"Where'd he go!" Uranus exclaimed, frantically looking around. Both she and Neptune looked around, but could find no trace of their quarry. "Maybe we hurt him! Maybe we should go get Serenity now and get the Hell out of here!"

"He'll only come back for her," Neptune replied ruthlessly. "She won't be truly safe until he's gone."

Their only premonition of its arrival was a soft whizzing sound. Without any other warning, Neptune cried out and spun to the ground. Uranus was by her side in an instant. She found Neptune had an arrow in her, just above the right breast and close to the shoulder joint. Her face was screwed up with pain and her right hand quivered uncontrollably.

Mentally judging the direction of the arrow from where Neptune was facing and where it struck, Uranus sprang up to full height, facing that direction.

"World Shaking!" she yelled, throwing a force globe in that direction.

As it went tearing across the Moon's surface, Uranus fired two more, one on each side of the blast. Two of the force blasts continued on until they dissipated. The third one, on her left, struck something and exploded, rocking the area. Not waiting to see what was struck, Uranus raised the Space Sword over her head.

"Space Turbulence!" Uranus shouted.

Energy shot out from the Space Sword and in seconds crossed the plain to where the force bubble had impacted. Uranus strained to see if Tsukuyomi was what she had struck.

"Did you get him?" Neptune asked through clenched teeth. Her hand was over the wound, around the arrow, to try to limit the bleeding. She knew Uranus first had to deal with their adversary before she could assist. Neptune hoped she didn't sound too needy.

"Can't see!" Uranus responded, still straining to look into the distance. "Whatever I hit is kicking up a lot of dust!" She leaned forward a little, as if that would help.

"URANUS, BEHIND YOU!" Neptune shrieked.

Uranus spun just in time to deflect a killing stroke from Tsukuyomi. She had little time to recover, as the Moon King slashed again and again. Parrying one stroke left her off-balance. Tsukuyomi lashed out with his foot, knocking Uranus to the ground. Tsukuyomi stood over her and swung his blade down. The first cut was blocked, but Uranus was at a disadvantage and she knew it.

"Submarine Reflection!" Neptune shouted.

A crimson energy beam lanced out from the face of the Deep Aqua Mirror, aimed directly at Tsukuyomi. But before it could reach him, the man turned and deflected the beam with the blade of his sword, reflecting it off into the distance. His free hand pulled the short sword from his belt and flipped it at Neptune. Neptune flinched away before the blade could hit her, but it did strike the mirror and the force of the impact knocked it from her hands.

Uranus pointed the Space Sword at Tsukuyomi, but the Moon King suddenly dropped, jamming a knee into the Senshi's middle. The wind driven out of her, Uranus couldn't defend herself when Tsukuyomi grabbed a handful of her hair and slammed her head hard into the surface of the Moon. Uranus was stunned and open to Tsukuyomi beheading her. Tsukuyomi's sword raised to strike. Neptune lay helpless: she couldn't use the Golden Violin with her right arm useless, she didn't have time to retrieve the mirror and there was no water on the Moon to summon for her other attack.

"DON'T KILL THEM!" they heard Serenity shriek.

Tsukuyomi turned to her, Uranus's head still dangling from his hand, thankfully her body still attached as well. Serenity had her arm extended, as if she were trying to influence events. Then her eyes rolled up into her head and the Queen fell forward, landing on the dusty Moon surface.

One moment, Neptune and Uranus were at the feet of Tsukuyomi on the Moon. The next moment they both lay on the conference table in the Crystal Palace on Earth. Luna gasped in alarm as the pair suddenly materialized. Artemis raced out of the room and returned moments later with Ami and Minako in tow. As Ami tended to her shoulder, Neptune lay her head back and wondered how and came to a single conclusion.

Serenity.

* * *

After a period of black, none of which she remembered, Serenity slowly began to become conscious of her surroundings. She was laying on a soft bed, atop a satiny comforter. The bed sparkled of gold and had a canopy over it. Turning her head, Serenity saw one of Tsukuyomi's servants standing over her, placidly waiting to be commanded. A hand gently dabbed at her forehead with a cloth, the cloth feeling like elegant silk. She turned to the hand. It belonged to Tsukuyomi. He was sitting beside the bed, dabbing perspiration from her face with a cool cloth. And the expression on his face was the furthest thing she could think of from a grim, gruff Japanese warrior of ancient times. What was in his eyes: concern? Worry? The emotion immediately began to morph into elation and relief.

Just the emotions a parent would display for a stricken child.

"How are you feeling, Usagi?" he asked gently.

"Tired," she mumbled. "Dizzy. I guess I did too much again."

"Yes," Tsukuyomi nodded. It seemed like he was holding back terror. "You came very close to ending your life." A wave of emotion overcame him and he brushed his eyes with the back of his hand. "Why do you do it, Usagi? Why do you risk your life for them?"

"They're my friends," Serenity wheezed out.

Tsukuyomi looked down. "Then maybe you should choose more worthy friends."

"Oto-san," Serenity said. Though still weak, she was becoming more agitated. "You're not going to go after them, are you?"

She watched Tsukuyomi contemplate the question.

"No," he said finally. "It would only upset you. And they're not worth my time."

"Thank you," she smiled wanly. That elicited a smile in return from him.

"You rest now," Tsukuyomi advised her. "Tell the servant if you need anything and she'll get it for you. And when you're stronger, we'll start learning how to increase your abilities, so something like this doesn't happen again."

"All right," Serenity replied. Tsukuyomi smiled again and rubbed the back of her right hand. Unnoticed by her, his hand began to take on an onyx glow. Then he got up and left. The servant continued to stand by her bedside, waiting to be commanded.

"Um," Serenity said finally, glancing up at the servant, "could you go - - over there?" She waved her hand weakly in the general direction of the opposite corner of the room. The servant bowed to her and then stood in the far corner.

Quietly the Queen lay on the bed, but sleep wouldn't come. She glanced up at the canopied bed. It was odd: this bed hardly fit the feudal Japan decor of the castle. And yet it was just the thing she would have made for herself. Had Tsukuyomi somehow sensed this bed would have put her the most at ease? Serenity pondered this until her mind began to wander to other things.

At once she came to a decision. But did she dare, in her weakened condition? Desire overcame trepidation. Serenity cupped her hands together and closed her eyes. She felt the strain of exertion through her chest and neck, and in her forehead, but she kept at it. When she felt the objects in her hands, Serenity opened her eyes. There in her right hand was a gold oval picture frame containing a picture of Endymion. In her left was another gold oval picture frame containing a picture of Setsuko. As Serenity stared at the pictures, a tear trickled down her left cheek. She brought the pictures up and pressed them to her chest.

* * *

"How is she, Ami?" Uranus asked, unable or unwilling to conceal her trepidation.

Uranus looked over Ami Mizuno's shoulder as the doctor bandaged Sailor Neptune's shoulder. Endymion, Minako, Rei, Makoto and the cats all watched anxiously. Tsukuyomi's arrow still stuck out of her chest.

"Her wound is very bad," Ami reported, "but as long as I can keep the bleeding stopped, she won't die."

"That's good to hear," Neptune whispered.

"Shouldn't you take the arrow out?" Uranus asked.

"It'll have to be removed surgically," Ami told her. "If I just pull it out, it will tear muscle tissue and possibly permanently damage nerves or ligaments. And her bleeding will increase."

"What if she just reverts to Michiru?" Minako suggested.

"She'll be perfectly fine as Michiru," Ami theorized. "But when she transforms back to Sailor Neptune, the damage will return. It's better to repair the damage surgically, in my opinion." She turned back to Neptune. "To do that, we'll need to get you to a hospital. I have no intention of operating on you on this conference table."

"Nor would I want you to," Neptune smiled back, her smile occasionally morphing into a grimace due to her pain.

"I'll get a palace car ready to transport you," Artemis said.

"Now that we've settled that," Endymion began, "just what did you two think you were doing?"

"Getting Dumpling back," bristled Uranus.

"And did you?"

Uranus glared.

"At least we tried," Neptune said with some difficulty.

"And failed," Endymion added. "And now Tsukuyomi is on his guard. And that's assuming that he doesn't take revenge for your attack out on Serenity."

"So you think your little stunt is going to succeed?" Uranus barked back. "You four can't even hold your form together long enough to mount an attack and your lack of control can't cope with any counterattack he mounts! I thought that before, and now that I've faced him, I know it!"

"We're working on it," Makoto growled.

"And you think Dumpling can just wait around until you get it right? Who knows what he's doing to her! I'd rather go down fighting to save her than sit around and wish and hope that everything will work out! That's all you're doing!"

"Don't make another attempt," Endymion advised her.

"You asking?" Uranus demanded.

"I'll make it a command if I have to," Endymion told her.

"Yeah? Well I didn't vote for you, so you're not my king!" Uranus shot back.

The air hung heavy with anger and frustration. Endymion and Uranus continued to stare each other down.

"The, um, car is ready to transport Neptune," Artemis spoke up.

Uranus scooped Neptune up in her arms. "Come on, Fujihara-Sensei," she said to Ami. "I'll go with you." The trio left hastily.

"Still the team players," Makoto grumbled.

"Look," Rei began. "I'm the one holding us back . . ."

"It's not just you," Minako told her. "Uranus may not be delicate, but she's right about us not being ready. We've got to decide on a dominant personality for our merge-self. Right now I don't care if we use janken to choose. Because we don't know if he's hurt Serenity or not."

"He hasn't," Endymion informed them. "I felt some distress from her just now, but it must have been from teleporting Uranus and Neptune. So far he hasn't harmed her. And we have to take advantage of that time to perfect our merge-self. Because if I do ever sense that he's hurt her, we're going in - - ready or not."

The others nodded solemnly.

* * *

Serenity woke up. She rose in the soft, canopied bed and looked around. The room was empty, save for the servant in the corner. However, there was a chair sitting next to her bed. Serenity looked at it. She reached over and put a hand to the chair seat. It was still warm.

"I feel so much better," she said, swinging her legs over the bed. A servant converged on her and waited for her to ask for something. "I wonder how long I was out."

The servant gestured four.

"Hours?" Serenity asked. The servant shook her head and gestured again with her fingers. "Days?" gasped Serenity. The servant nodded and bowed. "I hope Luna doesn't find out. She'll never let me hear the end of it."

Then she remembered where she was. Serenity looked over to the table next to her bed. The pictures of Endymion and Setsuko were on the table, but someone had placed them face down. Serenity steeled herself, then waved her hand over her garments. The white gown Serenity wore on public occasions transformed into attire she was more comfortable with: A baggy t-shirt she'd borrowed from Endymion, back when he was Mamoru, and never returned, shorts and sandals. Though Luna disapproved, Serenity always felt like Usagi again whenever she wore these clothes.

With the servant trailing behind her, Serenity began wandering the castle. She wasn't sure what she was looking for, other than to satisfy a sudden need to explore. After all, if this was going to be her home for the rest of her life . . .

"Don't think that way," Serenity whispered to herself. "I'll see Endymion again. And Setsuko. And all of my friends." The servant, still trailing behind her, didn't react.

After wandering through two floors and several rooms, Serenity came across a door. Sliding it open, she found a garden full of exotic blooms she'd never seen before and an ornate stone patio. In a circle around a stone bench were three foot tall statues, ten in all, of strange humanoids. In the center of the circle, Tsukuyomi sat on the bench. He was in a lotus position and seemed to be meditating.

"Come in, Usagi," he suggested. "I'm glad to see you up and around again. You had me worried there for a while."

"I'm sorry for that," Serenity said. Without her billowing skirt, the Queen didn't give the impression of gliding that she usually did. But it didn't quite look like her feet touched the ground when she stepped. "I feel there's something different about me. Did you do something to me when I was asleep?"

"I aided your healing with my crystal energy," Tsukuyomi replied. He sagged out of his meditation posture and glanced over his shoulder at her. "That's a different look for you."

"I didn't feel like dressing up," she told him. "This healing - - was I that bad off?"

"I didn't want to risk it."

"Thank you," Serenity offered. As she neared the statues, she could make out features on them that distinguished one statue from another. "Who are they?"

"They," Tsukuyomi replied heavily, "are the members of my race who traveled to this galaxy with me, long ago." His jaw tightened. "I'm the only one left. There's just me and you, Usagi."

"Is that why you suddenly came and tried to reunite with me?"

He pointed to a statue. It was a male with vaguely African features. "That was Asishe. He'd gone off with Kalindra to find a new home world. Earth was no longer to his liking." Tsukuyomi paused for a few moments. "I sensed his end. Kalindra had ceased centuries before."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Serenity told him. "It's terrible when anyone dies, but so very terrible when a friend dies."

"Friend," Tsukuyomi smiled to himself. "Actually Asishe and I argued constantly. He was of the other faction: the one who wanted to guide fledgling races and show them there were better things than strife and combat." He sobered and stared out into the garden. "But being alone can even make you mourn your opponents."

A statue caught Serenity's eye. "Is that Serenity?" she asked.

"Yes," Tsukuyomi nodded. "I still laugh at how she bristled when the humans mangled her name and called her 'Selene'. Oh, how they aggravated her. And yet she was determined to better them - - if at a distance."

"And you?"

"I preferred to leave them be," he replied, turning and looking at his daughter. "If they destroyed themselves, good riddance. If they didn't, they'd be stronger for it and better off." He gestured her to the statue of Serenity the first. "Touch it."

Serenity reached out and lightly touched the statue's face. Her eyes widened.

"Oh," she gasped. "I-I feel her. I feel her presence - - her spirit."

"It's special stone," Tsukuyomi told her. "It resonates with your crystal and allows you to channel her spirit. It only works if you've encountered them, though."

Serenity reached for another one. "You're right. I don't feel anything from this one."

Turning from that statue, Serenity touched the one next to it, a statue of a woman with a cold, classic beauty. Immediately she snatched her hand away, staring at the statue in shock.

"Metalia?" Serenity whispered.

Continued in Chapter 7


	7. Origins

THE MOON KING  
Chapter 7: "Origins"  
A Sailor Moon/Neo-Sailor Moon crossover fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

"Despite assurances to the contrary from the Crystal Palace," a news anchor read on a television news program, "there is mounting fear among the population that Queen Serenity has disappeared, possibly forever."

Artemis glanced over at Luna as the television in their control room blared. The black cat just stared at the set with a venomous glare.

"Sources inside of the Crystal Palace report that Queen Serenity has not been seen for at least a week," the anchor continued. "And that the King and the Sailor Senshi have been sequestered in the palace planning, possibly a retaliatory strike or a rescue mission. Several foreign governments have been quick to deny that they are in any way involved."

"Well, that's torn it," Luna sighed. "I suppose it was too much to hope for. Word of this was bound to leak out the longer it dragged out, just from gossipy palace staff."

"Maybe we'd better them the truth," Artemis suggested. "I doubt a lie is going to work now."

"I had no intention of outright lying to the public in the first place," bristled Luna. "That's more Dietman Takahashi's style. But to tell them everything? You see how they're reacting to the unknown. How will they react to knowing that Her Majesty has been abducted?"

"Maybe they'll rally around the crown," the white cat said. "Maybe their fear is being generated by not knowing."

Luna considered it. "You do have a point." She rubbed her chin against Artemis. "It's times like these that remind me why I care for you."

"In a related move, the Diet initiated legislative process to assume control of the government," the anchor reported.

"The Queen is missing," Dietman Takahashi said to reporters outside of the Diet. "The King is otherwise involved, I assume with finding her. While we don't know what exactly has happened, we must assume that they are no longer able to continue ruling this country. Therefore, it is the duty of the elected Diet, as representatives of the people, to step in and assume command of this country, for the duration of this crisis - - and longer if necessary."

"You see, Artemis?" Luna scowled. "Predictable as the rain."

The cats heard the door slide open. Framed in the doorway was Setsuko, clutching a doll to her chest.

"Is Mama home yet?" the child asked, struggling not to cry. Instantly Luna leaped down to the floor and came over to her.

"We're still working on it, child," the cat told her sympathetically.

"When?" Setsuko asked. "I don't want to be strong anymore. I want Mama."

Luna rubbed against her ankles. "I don't know. But she will come back for you. Your father promised that she would. And your Mum will be very proud of you when she does return."

Kneeling down, Setsuko picked Luna up and hugged her. The cat rubbed her forehead against the girl's cheek.

* * *

Serenity drew back her hand from the statue as if it had snapped at her. After whispering a name, she turned and stared in shock at Tsukuyomi.

"That's Metalia!" Serenity exclaimed. "Metalia was - - was one of you?"

"At first," Tsukuyomi sighed. It was clear he didn't relish the memory. Initially he wasn't going to go any further. But a glance at Serenity told him it was the less painful of two painful choices.

"How?" Serenity prodded.

"She was different," Tsukuyomi replied, his mouth hardening. "She was - - flawed." He sighed. "When we came to this galaxy, we were in search of a place to be who we were. Our old world was no longer habitable and beyond our powers to fix. So the survivors of our people spread out over the universe seeking new homes. The twelve you see came to this galaxy.

"But it was inhabited," he continued. "The question became what to do about the inhabitants. Some, like your mother and Asishe, wanted to guide the natives to become better than their evolution suggested they would be. Others, like me, wished to have nothing to do with them, to let them fail or succeed on their own efforts. It became a point of great conflict between the factions. It was only settled by an arranged marriage between Serenity and myself."

"Yes, I'd heard," Serenity nodded.

"Metalia was different," Tsukuyomi said. "Metalia felt we deserved dominion over the planets. She felt that as the superior race, we should take the planets and force the natives to do our bidding. It was not a popular stance. Embittered, Metalia broke away from the group and left, we thought for good. In the meantime, my marriage had fallen apart.

Tsukuyomi smiled. "When the marriage was first proposed, I thought fortune had smiled upon me. Serenity was beautiful, she was intelligent, and she had some attraction to me." His smile faded. "But - - we were too different. Our philosophies were so opposite that we would often erupt in fights. But it was more. We were too opposite in so many things and too hurt by the other one to bend. Even your birth couldn't heal the wounds we'd inflicted on each other. One day she took you and left. It was the final blow."

"Didn't you try to make up with her at all?" Serenity asked.

"Pain can harden a heart," Tsukuyomi replied, lost in his memories. "Harden it against someone you once loved and others who had nothing to do with it. And it was soon after that Metalia struck. She had done something - - attempted to harness the power of this galaxy's sun and, intentionally or not, converted herself to pure sentient energy."

"I thought she was a sun demon," Serenity interjected.

Tsukuyomi sneered. "That's the humans again. Just as their limited minds thought Serenity and I were gods, they thought Metalia was a demon."

"So why did she attack the Crystal Kingdom?"

"Because Serenity stood in her way," Tsukuyomi said flatly. "Stood in her way of dominance over the galaxy. So Metalia conspired with that silly Earth witch Beryl. Used that human's ambitions and desperate love for that Earth prince, the one who was infatuated with you, to be her physical vessel and stir the humans up against Serenity. Because the humans, with their greed and their ignorance and their superstitious fears, were the perfect weapon to hurl against her. And while Serenity was busy dealing with the humans, Metalia struck."

"And you didn't do anything?" Serenity asked. Tsukuyomi just sat and looked at the talisman on the ground.

* * *

Once again there was a brilliant flash of light in the palace gym, followed by the impact of weight on the floor. Alerted by the sound, Shingo Tsukino raced into the gym. He found Endymion and the four inner senshi sprawled on the floor. Sailor Mars was nearest to him. Her legs were pulled up to her chest with her arms wrapped around them and her face buried in her knees.

"Well, the positive we gained was that a single lead mind works better at controlling the amalgam's movements," Mercury analyzed, mainly to give Mars time to recover. "Allowing Jupiter to control the body during the martial arts gymnastic . . ."

"Stop it, Mercury," Mars said bitterly. "I can't do it. I can't merge with the rest of you. Not long enough to rescue Serenity."

"Wait, Sis IS gone?" Shingo exclaimed.

"We didn't tell you because we didn't want word to get out," Endymion explained. "I know it's been difficult keeping the news from the staff and residents of the palace . . ."

"What happened?"

"She was," Endymion began, fighting to remain calm and objective, "taken - - by a being claiming to be her father." He noticed Shingo's instant agitation. "Her original father. Serenity's told you about how she's the reincarnation of a princess from eons ago. This Tsukuyomi claims to be her birth father from back then and forced her to go with him."

"And you're trying to combine into one being and get her back?" Shingo asked. "Is he that powerful?" The silent response he got spoke volumes.

"OK, hard decision time here," Venus spoke up. She glanced over at Mars with a grim expression. "Maybe we better start practicing this without Mars in the mix."

"Blondie!" gasped Jupiter.

"We're running out of time, Jupe," Venus responded. "I don't want to try to force this and have it not work. Or have it work, but work too late to save Serenity. We've got to get this launched, soon."

"Listen to her, Jupiter," Mars added.

"Hey, I'm not letting you off that easily," Venus said, getting up and kneeling next to Mars. "You're still coming. And we'll need someone to spar against to get our moves down, now that Uranus and Neptune aren't available. You're up to that, aren't you?"

"Anything, if it gets her back," Mars replied, looking Venus in the eye. Venus nodded and flashed her the old "Sailor V" sign.

"Is there anything I can do?" Shingo asked.

"Don't tell anyone about this," Endymion cautioned him. "Not even your wife, if you can avoid it. I don't want this getting out any more than it already has."

"If you can stick around, maybe you can watch us go," Jupiter added. "Give us an opinion on how efficient we look joined together. But be honest. Be critical. Give it to us straight, because we need to know."

"Just no autographs," Venus added with a wink.

"OK, is everybody ready?" Endymion asked.

Everyone nodded. The Senshi all closed their eyes, save Mars, and spread their hands. Endymion spread his, but kept his eyes open. As Mars and Shingo watched, the jewels on the tiaras of the remaining Senshi flared. Their forms began to shimmer, then seemed to leap toward Endymion. A brilliant light flashed and both Mars and Shingo had to turn away. When they looked back, Sailor Amalgam stood before them. She was different from previous attempts: Her black hair was closer to brown now and only reached her shoulders. Her bow was now blue instead of green, her skirt green instead of red, and she was only ten and a half feet tall.

"Get to a safe spot, Shingo," Sailor Amalgam advised him, sounding eerily like Mercury. "When this starts, it's liable to be dangerous."

She glanced at Mars with a confident smirk.

"Unless Mars plans on boring me to death," Amalgam added, this time sounding like Venus.

"Mars!" Mars shouted, glaring. "Flame Sniper!"

As the flaming bow formed in Sailor Mars' hand, Shingo settled back to watch a match that as a child he had dreamed about. But the purpose behind the actions quelled any excitement he might have felt.

* * *

"Oto-san?" Serenity persisted. "If you knew about Metalia's attack, why didn't you help stop it?"

Still Tsukuyomi wouldn't say anything. Serenity came over and sat down on the bench next to him. He wouldn't look at her.

"Oto-san?"

"Usagi," he began. "You have to understand how I was feeling then. Your mother had hurt me. Her Crystal Kingdom was populated with people who opposed my philosophy and who had dismissed me."

"Oto-san, the Crystal Kingdom was destroyed."

"It meant nothing to me."

"All of those people died."

"They meant nothing to me, either."

There was a pregnant pause.

"I died," Serenity said.

Tsukuyomi glanced at her.

"At the time," he confessed painfully, "it meant nothing to me. You'd stayed with her. You'd made your choice." He looked away. "As the centuries passed and I was abandoned one by one by my fellows, I came to realize how wrong I was." His jaw clenched. "How petty. How things might have been different, certainly between us." He sighed. "I still resent Serenity for the things she did and said to hurt me. But I will give her credit: using the last of her crystal energy to gather your essence and send you to Earth to be reincarnated was the wisest thing she could have done. Wiser than anything I would have thought of."

They sat in silence.

"I didn't want to tell you," Tsukuyomi said finally. "I didn't want you to hate me - - any more than you probably already hate me."

"I don't hate you," Serenity said softly, looking at her hands. "We all make mistakes. We all surrender to our weaker sides now and then. We all do things we regret later. It isn't what you did; it's what you do to make up for it that is the measure of someone. I forgive you, Oto-san."

Tsukuyomi didn't look at her. But a sad smile sprouted on his face.

"Thank you, Usagi," he said. "That means a lot to me. I probably don't deserve it, because I didn't do much to make up for just sitting back and watching Metalia destroy Serenity and everything she'd built. Until now."

Serenity glanced at him curiously.

"That's why you're here," he said. "Yes, I missed you and I want to get back some of the time I lost with you. But I want to show you how to achieve your full potential. And I want to protect you from that cesspool you reside in."

His daughter looked at him with growing distress.

"I know it's not what you want, but it's what's best," Tsukuyomi continued. "I hope some day you can forgive me for this, just as you forgave me for the past. But I vowed to do what's best for you - - and that's what I'll do."

Tsukuyomi got up and went into the castle. Serenity remained on the bench and put her head in her hands.

* * *

"Mom's got a Senshi meeting to go to," Makoto said, kneeling down to the level of her two children. "You two be good and mind your father."

"Are you going after Auntie Serenity?" Akiko asked, anticipation bubbling from the eleven year old girl.

"Why would I be going after your Aunt Serenity?" Makoto asked pointedly. Akiko's eyes instantly shifted upward and her mouth clamped shut. "Oh, what am I going to do with you? Now you keep that to yourself, young lady. Secret, got it?"

"Secret," Akiko nodded soberly. Makoto reached up and pecked her on the cheek.

"Be careful, Mom," Ichiro said nervously.

"Always, Champ," she smiled and kissed him on the cheek. "I've got too much to come home to."

Rising to her feet, Makoto was joined by her burly husband. The two embraced.

"Fight the good fight," Sanjuro whispered to her, caressing her cheek.

"Take care of them," she whispered back. After a last fond look, Makoto turned and joined Ami, who was waiting at the door.

"You honestly think the mission is going to be tonight?" Ami asked as they walked down the corridor.

"Yeah, don't you?" Makoto asked. "I think we're as ready as we'll ever be. I hate to say it, but not having Rei in the fusion makes it a lot more stable. And it's probably a lot easier on her, too."

"I'll grant you that," Ami nodded. "I just wish we had more preparation time. Maybe Artemis is right. Maybe I do over-analyze."

The pair entered the meeting room the Senshi used. They found Rei and Minako already there. At the far end of the table, Endymion was looking at a telescopic photo of the Moon. Haruka Tenoh was drawing on it with a grease pencil.

"Haruka?" Ami spoke with mild surprise. "How is Michiru doing?"

"Getting better," Haruka replied distantly as she continued to draw. "You did good work, Ami. A few weeks and she'll be back to using "Violin Tide" again."

"I thought you didn't take orders from the King," Makoto commented sourly. Haruka looked up at her.

"I don't," she grunted. "He asked." She returned her attention to the map. "Besides, there's more important things to worry about - - like getting Dumpling back." Haruka pointed to a section of the map. "This is the blue area. There's an atmosphere and everything. That's your teleportation point. Over here is his castle."

"Can I see that?" Minako asked. Endymion handed it over.

"Don't count on surprise," Haruka informed them. "He has some way of sensing you once you're there. Your best shot is a full out charge. Engage him quick. Hit him hard. Take no prisoners."

"So we're on mission then?" Ami asked.

"I think we're ready," Endymion told her. "Do you disagree?"

"I," Ami began, then faltered. "No. I guess not."

"Good. I'd like you to familiarize yourself with Haruka's map and then confer with Minako on a plan of attack."

"Of course," Ami nodded. "Just let me call Hayami first."

As Ami sought out a phone, Haruka rose.

"I'm going to get back to Michiru," she told Endymion.

"You have to?" Minako asked. "We could use you."

"I have to," Haruka replied.

Without another word, she left. Makoto had worked her way over to Rei, who was staring at her hands clasped in front of her. When Makoto touched her shoulder, the priest jumped with momentary alarm.

"You going to be OK?" Makoto asked.

"I have to be," Rei replied. "Serenity needs me." She swallowed. "As long as I'm not part of the merger, I'll be ready to go." Rei turned to her friend. "I promise."

Makoto smiled gratefully.

Continued in Chapter 8


	8. Confrontation

THE MOON KING  
Chapter 8: "Confrontation"  
A Sailor Moon/Neo-Sailor Moon crossover fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

"Concentrate, Usagi!" Tsukuyomi exclaimed. Frustration tinted the tone of his already gruff voice.

Serenity was levitating thirty feet in the air, her arms outstretched from her sides. In addition to holding herself aloft, she was holding with either hand two boulders ten feet away from her on either side. The rocks were as tall as she was and weighed five times as much. The way they both wobbled spoke to Serenity's lack of concentration in holding them aloft - - or her lack of ability.

"Now reach out to the third boulder with your mind," Tsukuyomi instructed. "Touch it with your mind and make it come to you."

Serenity's face twisted up with exertion. The boulder on the ground began to quiver. Slowly, tentatively, it began to rise. Upward it inched. Serenity ground her teeth. The boulders she was already levitating started shaking more violently. The third boulder got four feet off of the ground. Then it thudded back to the soil of the Moon, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Seconds after, the other two boulders crashed to the surface. Serenity was seconds behind them, plummeting to the lunar surface. But Tsukuyomi stepped in and caught her before she hit. Protectively he eased her to her feet.

"You can do better than this," he admonished. "You're distracted again."

"Or maybe you're just teaching me the wrong things," Serenity replied. She knelt down to the barren lunar surface. Her hand glowed silver and she waved it across the soil. In moments, flowers sprouted. Serenity glanced back up at him. "It's easy to destroy."

"That exercise wasn't designed to teach you to destroy," Tsukuyomi countered. "It was to teach you to strengthen your connection to your crystal. It's not the exercise. It's you. You still pine for those miserable humans."

Serenity looked away without argument.

"What must I do? Must I go there and destroy them all?" Tsukuyomi fumed.

"You vowed you wouldn't do that," Serenity said. "I assumed that you were a person of honor. Was I wrong?"

Tsukuyomi's mouth thinned.

"And you won't do it regardless," Serenity replied calmly. But there was an edge of fatigue in her tone, fatigue over hearing these constant threats. "Because then you'll lose your hold over me."

"Must I have a 'hold' over you?" Tsukuyomi exclaimed. "Can you not just be a child learning the small wisdom her father tries to impart to her? Can I not be the parent trying to protect his child? Can you not see that I do these things to provide for you and protect you?"

"Oto-san," Serenity said, "I realize that what's good for a child isn't always what that child wants. That if a child is reaching for fire because it's pretty, you have to force her hand away before she gets burned rather than ask her nicely to stop. My Earth parents were like that, especially Mom. But they also knew when to step back and let their child find her own path. Maybe to you I'm still a child. After all, I'm only thirty-six compared to how long you've lived. But I'm not a child. I've chosen my own path. And you can only threaten so much before it begins achieving the opposite of the results you were looking for."

Tsukuyomi looked at her stone-faced and Serenity wondered if she'd gotten through.

"I see my mistake," Tsukuyomi said softly. "I should have plucked you from the humans when you were born, so they couldn't contaminate your mind the way they have."

"It's not contamination," Serenity argued. "Why can't you see a side other than yours?"

Tsukuyomi seemed to flinch slightly. His face hardened.

"The lesson is over," he replied, turning. "If you decide you do wish to better yourself, let me know and we will continue."

"Oto-san!" Serenity huffed. But he turned and walked back into the castle. Serenity looked down out of frustration. Then she noticed the flowers that she had created. They had all wilted in the barren lunar soil.

* * *

"So we're settled on the plan?" Endymion asked the Senshi assembled in the room.

"It's fine with me," Jupiter nodded, because anything Ami came up with was fine with her and she was itching to go besides.

"It'll work," Venus said. "Even if the plan sucked, we'd just make it work. But I like this plan. I'm excited about this plan. This plan may be the greatest plan . . ."

"All right, Venus," Mars sighed with disgust. Everyone glanced at her. "I just hope I don't sabotage it. It's a big castle and my sight is still pretty messed up."

"You've got the easiest part," Venus argued. "Go in, find Serenity and get her out. Unless she's eating dinner, it should be a snap." Mars tried to smother the grin, but couldn't.

"Thank you for the vote of confidence," Mercury replied. "I still wish I had more data on the situation. But that isn't likely to come, so now is the best time to move."

"The area of the Moon where she's being held will be closest to Japan at midnight. That's in twelve minutes. We'll begin teleport then," Endymion outlined. "We'll try to complete this mission without killing Tsukuyomi if at all possible. If it comes down to a choice between Tsukuyomi's life and Serenity's freedom, and ONLY if it comes down to that choice - - Serenity's freedom is priority."

The four Inner Senshi nodded in agreement.

As the clock neared midnight, Endymion and the Senshi were on the aeropad atop the Crystal Palace. Endymion was looking at his watch while Mercury scanned the sky with her visor, trying to determine when the Moon would be closest to them.

"Papa?" came a plaintive exclamation, the words coated in fear.

Endymion turned and looked. Setsuko was at the door, clutching the frame in terror, with Luna by her side. Though the height of the aeropad and the swirling winds would be enough to frighten a five year old, that wasn't what inspired the fear in her. Endymion walked over and knelt before her. The child leaped into his arms and clutched him tightly.

"I tried to explain to her, Your Majesty," Luna offered.

"Please don't leave, Papa!" Setsuko cried.

"I'm not leaving you, Setsuko-Chan," he told her as he hugged her. "The Senshi and I are going to get your Mama back. So she and I and you can all be a happy family again."

"Promise?"

Endymion gently pulled away from her so he could look Setsuko in the eye. The child quivered in his soft grip and stared up at him.

"I will do everything in my power to come back to you," he told her, "and to bring your Mama back. But if I don't, please keep me in your heart, Setsuko-Chan, as I will keep you in my heart so long as I live. That I promise. And you won't be alone. I've made arrangements to see that you're cared for." He smiled at her. "But I fully intend to do that myself."

Sanjuro was suddenly there, with his children. Hayami was there, too. Gently he leaned in and edged Setsuko away.

"Endymion," Mercury said, at once urgently and yet mindful of the delicate situation.

"Keep me in your heart," he told her. "Let my love for you be your shield through life."

Seeing Ichiro, Setsuko pulled away from Hayami and buried her face in the boy's chest. Ichiro held her even as he stared anxiously at Sailor Jupiter. The Senshi formed their circle and, with a swirl of energy, were gone.

"It'll be OK, Setsuko-Chan," Akiko offered, patting her shoulder. "They're the Senshi. They'll come back. They always come back."

Luna's eyes sought the floor.

* * *

As Serenity slept, Tsukuyomi stood in the doorway and watched her. It hadn't gone as he'd planned. He expected some initial resistance, but the anticipation was that his daughter would come around and accept him after the initial shock wore off. But it hadn't happened. She didn't resist physically. She didn't fight him. Recalling his observance of her, it was easy to understand why. She wasn't a warrior. She didn't like confrontations, particularly after she had ascended. Was she scared of her power?

Or was it her mother's teachings? And those humans who had raised her. Tsukuyomi turned away and walked out to the front porch of the castle. A servant dutifully trailed behind him.

Maybe he was wrong. Maybe his chance to reunite with his daughter and be family with her again was gone forever. A lump formed in his throat. Maybe it was better that way. To have no attachments, to be free to pursue one's life as one saw fit; wasn't that the definition of freedom? Wasn't freedom a cherished thing? Maybe it was time to end this, for her sake.

Then why did the thought of being without her again fill him with such emptiness? That was why he'd made the attempt to reconnect with her: The emptiness just became too much to bear.

Something unseen and unheard made Tsukuyomi look up suddenly. He frowned, then turned to the waiting servant.

"See to my daughter," Tsukuyomi told the humanoid. "Guard her. Protect her at all costs."

The servant bowed and scurried off to comply. Tsukuyomi levitated from the porch and headed west.

When the swirl of moon dust settled, it revealed King Endymion and the four Inner Senshi. While Mercury began to scan the surrounding area with her visor, Venus turned to Mars.

"Head for the castle," Venus told her. "Quickest way, but try as hard as you can not to be seen. We'll keep Tsukuyomi busy."

Mars nodded and headed off, skirting the area they had landed in so she could use the rocks and jagged terrain for cover.

"We've got incoming," Mercury told them. Venus glanced in the direction Mercury was looking in. There was a shape in the distance headed directly for them.

"OK, form up," Venus ordered.

Endymion spread his arms and closed his eyes. The Senshi mimicked his actions. The jewels on their tiaras flared. Their forms shimmered and then leaped into Endymion, causing a brilliant flash of light. When the light dissipated, Sailor Amalgam stood ready. Moments later, Tsukuyomi levitated up and landed thirty feet from them.

"You are trespassing on the grounds of my home," Tsukuyomi challenged them gruffly. "Leave immediately!"

"I've come for my wife," Sailor Amalgam said. "Release her to me and we'll go in peace."

"I don't obey humans," Tsukuyomi sneered, "no matter how many tricks they've learned. If you persist, you will die!"

Suddenly Sailor Amalgam lunged forward. A golden chain shot out and wrapped around Tsukuyomi's torso. An instant later, electricity jumped through the chain to Tsukuyomi, enveloping him in the sizzling energy. He hunched over under the attack, but didn't cry out.

With supreme effort, Tsukuyomi somersaulted off of the Moon's surface, breaking contact with the surface and the circuit which allowed the electricity to flow through him. He drew his sword in mid-flip. The links were severed by the time he landed.

Not allowing time for a second attack, Tsukuyomi charged his foe and slashed down with his sword. But Sailor Amalgam materialized a walking cane and parried the slash. The two combatants locked in a test of strength, one trying to drive his blade forward and the other trying to push it away. Finally Sailor Amalgam lashed out with a karate kick that caught Tsukuyomi in the stomach and drove him tumbling back. Before the Senshi merger could press the attack, Tsukuyomi rolled up to his feet, his sword ready to strike should he be attacked.

"Shine Aqua Illusion!" Sailor Amalgam shouted, pointing at their foe.

Instantly Tsukuyomi was enveloped in ice. As he stood frozen and immobile, Sailor Amalgam pumped their fist.

"Got him!" Jupiter thought.

"No, it won't hold! The ice is too thin!" Mercury thought. "There isn't enough water vapor in this artificial atmosphere for my attacks to work!"

To punctuate that thought, the ice cracked and shattered, falling away from Tsukuyomi with a simple shrug. He didn't have time to counter, though. A golden energy beam struck him chest high, spinning him around. As he staggered back, in one motion Tsukuyomi put down his sword, pulled his bow from his shoulder and had an arrow ready to fire. Coming to rest on one knee, Tsukuyomi fired. The missile shot across the thin air of the Moon's blue area.

* * *

Mars anxiously made her way into the castle. Though her second sight was badly malfunctioning, she was still adept enough to sense Serenity's overwhelming spiritual presence. Putting aside the fears of being captured and imprisoned that were gnawing at her courage, Mars headed for the presence.

A humanoid servant, dressed in traditional black wig and kimono, stepped out of a door into the hall directly before her. Mars jumped back, startled and frightened. When the servant made a move toward her, though, reflex kicked in. Mars threw a ward at the humanoid. It struck the servant between the eyes. The servant froze and then slumped to the floor. Surveying her work, Mars took a moment to push down the urge to run from the castle and forced herself further inside.

Turning into a corridor, Mars spotted two more servants standing by a door. One of the servants spotted her and launched two objects at her. Mars tried to dodge, but one struck her and painfully gouged part of her left arm. Summoning two more wards, Mars launched them at the two servants. The wards moved with their targets and struck each one between the eyes. Both servants froze and then collapsed to the floor, just as the first had. Looking first at the foot long furrow oozing blood that ran down her arm from her shoulder to her elbow, and then to the two shurikens embedded in the wall, Mars gritted her teeth. Pulling her bow from her chest while fighting down nausea, Mars wrapped her upper arm and tied the ribbon off.

When she opened the door, Mars expected to be attacked. When none came, she swept the room with her eyes and quickly locked onto Serenity, laying in an ornate bed, sleeping - - and drooling. Anxious to liberate her friend, Mars stepped into the room. She was instantly seized by either arm by two more servants, their iron grips impossible to break. Mars tugged in futility at the servants holding her. Then she grew quiet.

"Burning Mandala!" she shouted, throwing her head back.

The sacred symbols appeared at her feet and at the feet of her captors, the symbols glowing bright red. The servants just had time to look down before the symbols erupted in an intense fire. Mars was untouched by the flames, but the servants were immolated. When the fire attack died away, the floor was scorched and fine black ash floated in the room. Mars ran over to Serenity. She'd think about what she'd done later.

"Wake up, Serenity!" Mars exclaimed, shaking the sleeping queen.

"Uhh, it's Sunday, I don't want to get up, Mom," the Queen mumbled drowsily. And the Rei Hino temper boiled over.

"GET UP!" she roared, seizing Serenity by the wrist and dragging her out of bed and onto the floor. Serenity landed hard on her bottom, startling her awake.

"HUH? WHAT? WHO'S . . .?" Serenity sputtered. "Mars?" And recognition burned away the last vestiges of sleep from her brain. "MARS!" Serenity exclaimed, springing to her feet and hugging her friend. Gratefully Mars allowed herself a moment to enjoy the embrace.

"Come on, Serenity. We're getting you out of here," Mars told her.

"Mars, you're hurt!" Serenity gasped in shock.

"Don't worry about it," Mars told her.

But Serenity grasped her friend's upper arm with both hands. The hands took on a silver glow. And a warm sensation flooded through Sailor Mars. It reminded her momentarily of a time when she had lounged in a bathtub, the steaming water scented with jasmine and encompassing her body to the neck with peace and warmth and other emotions. The feelings died when Serenity removed her hands. But the wound no longer hurt. Mars pulled the stained ribbon from her arm. There was just a scar and it seemed to be fading with each passing moment.

"Thank you," Mars said to her, because she suddenly had an overwhelming need to express her gratitude. Serenity beamed happily.

"Mars," Serenity began, sobering rapidly, "you need to go. If Oto-San finds you here . . ."

"WE need to go," Mars countered. "And the others are keeping Tsukuyomi busy."

"No!" Serenity gasped in horror. "He'll kill them!"

* * *

The arrow launched by Tsukuyomi sped across the distance between him and his target, hungrily seeking Sailor Amalgam's chest. The combination Senshi just looked at it, visor down, like a deer in headlights. Then a hand shot up and caught the shaft an inch from the chest the arrow so hungrily sought.

Tsukuyomi already had another arrow ready and fired. Sailor Amalgam's left hand swept across and knocked the arrow away, even as the being spun to the right. Tsukuyomi tracked his quarry, loosening another arrow. But as Sailor Amalgam threw up a cloak that the arrows bounced off of, three roses launched from under the folds. Tsukuyomi kept firing, even as two of the roses embedded themselves in his chest and a third deflected off his kimono. Two of the arrows he fired were deflected by Sailor Amalgam's cloak.

The third struck, impaling the combination Senshi in the side between the eighth and ninth rib. Sailor Amalgam's hand shot to the impact area. Throwing another rose, Amalgam staggered backwards and then fell to the Moon's surface. The combination being grimaced in pain, then was swallowed by a brilliant flash of light.

Tsukuyomi approached, his own face twisted by the pain he was enduring. His hand absently clutched at the roses in his chest, but couldn't seem to grip them to pull them out. On the ground before him were King Endymion, Sailor Mercury, Sailor Venus and Sailor Jupiter. Endymion bore the arrow in his side and was enveloped in pain.

"The shock of the arrow," Mercury panted, wrung out and exhausted from the fusion. "It must have overwhelmed the fusion."

"I will grant you all quick and honorable deaths, as is due the retainers of a Queen," Tsukuyomi grunted. It pained him to draw his sword, but he did it.

"She'll hate you if you do," Endymion gasped in pain. "She'll despise you until her dying day."

"She already hates me," Tsukuyomi said and raised his sword.

Continued in Chapter 9


	9. Resignation

THE MOON KING  
Chapter 9: "Resignation"  
A Sailor Moon/Neo-Sailor Moon crossover fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

Tsukuyomi raised his sword above his head. Endymion lay wounded at Tsukuyomi's feet. He held his walking stick in one shaky hand while the other clutched the arrow sticking out of his ribs. Perhaps he couldn't ward off the coming sword strike. Perhaps he could only delay the inevitable. But he had to try. Being with Serenity and little Setsuko again meant more than the pain he felt and the fatigue that was trying to sap his will.

"Supreme Thunder!" Jupiter croaked out, gesturing at him from her position flat on the ground.

Electricity leaped out of the ground and up to the sword blade. The electricity coursed through Tsukuyomi, battering his body before it exploded from his form with a giant pop. The brilliant flash left the Moon King staggered, the blade of his sword dragging the ground. Everyone waited for him to fall. Instead he pulled himself erect and started to raise the blade once more.

"Venus Love Me Chain!" Venus shouted, pointing at their foe while on her hands and knees. Her skirt flew back immodestly. The links snared Tsukuyomi, wrapping him so that his arms were trapped at his sides. Tsukuyomi began to flex to burst the chains. "Venus! Love and Beauty Shock!"

Tsukuyomi looked up in time to see the energy blast from Venus impact him right in the face. The Moon King was bowled head over heels and landed on the ground on his back.

"Shine Aqua Illusion!" Mercury shouted, pointing at their prone adversary. A sheet of ice encased him. Everyone wondered why she bothered, as they knew it wasn't strong enough to hold him. "Jupiter, hit him with another lightning strike!"

"Supreme Thunder!" Jupiter yelled, drawing more electricity out of the Moon's core. This blast was even more powerful than the last. It blasted the ice away, using the cold's conductivity to deliver a harder blow. Tsukuyomi quivered and writhed in the grip of the electricity, then lay still on the ground. Cautiously the Senshi got to their feet. Mercury went over to Endymion and began checking his wound.

Then Tsukuyomi began to push himself up off of the ground.

"Supreme . . .!" was all Jupiter got out. A chunk of the surface shot up and smashed right into her face. Jupiter spun around and landed awkwardly on the ground.

"Rolling Heart Vibration!" Venus bellowed, throwing her max attack at Tsukuyomi.

A golden heart of energy formed before her and began spinning, picking up momentum in seconds. When it reached a sufficient level, the spinning heart shot across the divide between Venus and Tsukuyomi, slamming into him and exploding in a burst of golden energy.

But when the energy dissipated, they found Tsukuyomi forced to one knee, but protected by an energy shield much like the one Serenity often formed.

"Damn it," Venus softly cursed. She knew that she'd gone all in and lost. And with Jupiter and Endymion down and herself spent, their odds of winning no longer looked good.

"Oto-San!" they all heard Serenity shriek. Turning, everyone still conscious saw Serenity levitating across the terrain, Mars struggling vainly to keep up. She planted herself directly between Tsukuyomi and her friends. "Stop this! Please!"

"Move!" Tsukuyomi responded gruffly.

"I already agreed to stay with you!" Serenity pleaded. "I will keep my vow! But you have to keep yours, too! You can't kill them!"

"Spare them?" demanded Tsukuyomi. "So they can attack again and again? Because you know they will! Because they're humans and they never, never stop! No, Usagi! This ends now!"

"I won't let you kill them!" Serenity howled back, spreading her arms to erect a shield of her own.

"INSOLENT DAUGHTER!" he snapped, one arm making a sweeping motion in front of him. "MOVE!"

An invisible force struck Serenity and threw her to one side. She landed on the surface, kicking up a small dust cloud, and lay stunned. Mars stared in shock, first at Serenity and then at Tsukuyomi.

"MARS SNAKE FIRE!" roared Sailor Mars, eyes blazing.

Instantly Mars exploded in a blaze of flame. The fire burned hot and bright until a giant snake made of flame rose thirty feet into the air. Its head curved forward, staring the entire time at Tsukuyomi. Baring its fangs, the snake lunged forward and engulfed Tsukuyomi in a raging inferno.

When the fire dissipated, Tsukuyomi was on his back. Venus edged close to him and saw he was still breathing. Then she heard the small scuff of the hem of a skirt on soil. Turning, she saw Serenity gliding toward him. Quickly she intercepted the Queen and held her back.

"Not too close, Serenity!" Venus warned urgently.

"But he's hurt!" Serenity protested.

"Yeah, right now that's a good thing!" Serenity continued to struggle, but Venus held firm.

"He's getting up!" Mars shouted. Venus turned and looked. Tsukuyomi was indeed struggling to sit up. Finally he managed and exhaled in exhaustion, two roses still sticking out of his chest. His body was battered, his kimono torn. His bow had burned to ash and his face was drawn from exertion and flushed from the heat. Tsukuyomi moved to get to his feet, but his body betrayed him and he fell back to a sitting position. He glanced up at Serenity, still struggling to get past Venus. There was fear in her eyes. Was it fear for his health? Or was it fear for what he would do to her precious humans should he get to his feet? And a memory flashed into his mind, of a time long ago, of a deed he'd done in anger and haste, of the look of fear he'd seen in Matera, his sibling, and how it had transformed into disgust. How soon until it happened again? Tsukuyomi looked down.

"I yield," Tsukuyomi heaved out. "Take her. I will not interfere."

"But Oto-San, you're hurt!" Serenity said. "Let me help you!"

"Is my defeat not humiliation enough?" Tsukuyomi huffed. "Go. I was wrong in trying to reclaim you. Clearly you are more Earth's child than you are mine. I vow I will bother you no more."

Serenity eased past Venus and knelt down next to him.

"It doesn't have to be that way," Serenity offered. "I accept that you're my father. What I don't accept is your wish to force me into a life I didn't choose. I have my own path and I have to follow it. I choose to follow it. That doesn't mean we can never be father and daughter. You're welcome to visit any time, Oto-San, or even to live with us if you choose, so long as you come in peace. There's still a lot you know that I'd like to know. And I think there are a few things I could teach you."

Tsukuyomi sat in the dirt of the Moon for a long time, just staring at the dust and contemplating. Venus signaled to Serenity that they should leave, but Serenity held out. She waited patiently for a response.

"Perhaps one day," Tsukuyomi said finally. "I make no promises. Pride has always been my failing. Perhaps it's my failing still. But perhaps one day . . ."

"Perhaps," Serenity smiled.

She turned and joined the others. Mercury was propping up Endymion. That caused instant consternation for the Queen. Mars was helping Jupiter. The six formed a circle. Venus and Mars warily glanced back at Tsukuyomi. Then they teleported back to Tokyo.

Tsukuyomi just sat in the dirt of the Moon and stared at the ground.

* * *

Unannounced, a transport circle began to swirl on the aeropad atop the Palace of Crystal Tokyo. Once the circle dissipated, Endymion faltered and sank to his knees. There immediately followed a shriek of alarm from The Queen as she and the Senshi gathered around him.

"He's weak from blood loss," Mercury judged. She flipped open her Senshi Communicator. "Artemis, we need you to send a triage team to the aeropad immediately!"

Not waiting to act, Serenity's hands began to glow silver. She pressed them on the wound. The silver glow intensified until Endymion's hands pried them off of him.

"Endymion!" Serenity reacted angrily.

"I don't want you to do too much," Endymion grimaced.

"If the situation was reversed, you'd do the exact same thing!" Serenity shot back.

"No, I . . ." he began.

"No arguments!" The Queen barked. "Please."

"You've gotten him stable, Serenity," Mercury intervened. "I'll take it from here."

Endymion was hoisted up to a table and wheeled into the palace. The Senshi headed in after him.

"So why do you think Tsukuyomi gave in?" Jupiter asked as they entered the palace. "He didn't strike me as the type once he set his mind to something."

"Maybe he couldn't take the heat," Venus quipped. She got her anticipated groan from Jupiter, but Mars didn't react.

"That was terrible, Venus," Jupiter said. "But maybe you and Mercury and Endymion and I softened him up and Mars put him away. He was taking a lot of shots out there."

"Yeah, we softened him up and Mars put him away," nodded Venus.

"Or maybe he didn't want to fight anymore," Serenity suggested, looking down the hall with a worried look as Mercury and Endymion disappeared into an elevator to head for the infirmary. "Maybe he realized how futile the fight was and just gave in."

Venus was about to respond, but a voice cut her off.

"MAMA!" Setsuko cried from the other end of the hall. She sprinted down the hall at full speed. Serenity knelt down to her level and the child leaped into her arms. The two hugged tightly as the Senshi and Luna looked on happily.

"Oh, Setsuko-Chan, I'm so happy to see you again!" sobbed Serenity.

"Are you back for good?" Setsuko asked without releasing her.

"Yes, I'm back for good," she said. "Please forgive me for going away. I'm sorry you had to go through that."

"I was worried you'd never come back," Setsuko admitted. "But I was strong, just like Papa told me to be."

"She was, Your Majesty," Luna spoke up. "She was quite the brave girl."

"Oh, I'm so proud of you!" Serenity whimpered and began to bawl again.

"It's thanks to you, Mama," Setsuko told her. "You fixed me so I could be brave."

Mars just stared at them.

"Where's Papa?" Setsuko asked, suddenly noticing Endymion wasn't there.

"Papa got hurt," Serenity told her, touching foreheads with the girl. "He's probably going to be laid up for a while so your Aunt Ami can take care of him. Do you want to visit him?"

Setsuko nodded vigorously. Serenity hoisted the girl up into her arms.

"Oh, you're getting to be such a big girl!" Serenity groaned. Cradling Setsuko against her breast, she headed for the infirmary. Venus and Jupiter fell in behind her.

Mars continued to stare and think.

* * *

Rei Hino entered Serenity's private office timidly, peering around the door to make sure her friend wasn't involved with something she shouldn't see. The priest found Serenity at her drawing board, working on page eighteen of the latest installment of "Fire Princess Rika". Silently the priest crept up until she was just two feet away from the Queen. She looked over Serenity's shoulder and marveled at how expertly the Queen's dainty hand guided her.7mm mechanical pencil over blank paper and through a magic unknown to Rei created a scene straight out of the sixteenth century.  
"What can I do for you, Rei?" Serenity asked without looking up from her page.

"I," Rei began, then faltered, "just wanted to see how you were doing."

"I'm coping," Serenity replied. "Endymion's improving. Setsuko-Chan doesn't seem to show any negative effects from the experience. As for Oto-San," and she sighed, "it's disappointing to look at a parent and see faults."

"I understand that," Rei muttered.

"But I forgive him. He doesn't understand modern thinking. He's never had to. Maybe now that he does, he will. I would like a reunion with him."

"But he has to learn the value of other life first," Rei finished the thought. She noticed Serenity smile and it made her feel warm. Then Serenity put her pencil in the cup on her taboret and turned her swivel chair to face Rei.

"So how are you doing?" Serenity asked.

Simple as that; Rei could have told her a lie and said everything was fine. And Serenity would have accepted the answer, even though she probably would have sensed it was a lie. For a moment, Rei considered telling that lie, because she couldn't face telling Serenity the truth and embarrassing herself that way. But that would have doomed her to living the way she was for another day. And that thought just became too much to bear.

"Serenity," Rei began, her eyes dropping to the floor. "What you did for Setsuko; how you disconnected her from the trauma that was ruling her life, and the fear that trauma generated. Can you do it again? For me?"

"But," Serenity whispered in amazement, "I thought - - I thought that was wrong. That you didn't want me messing with your mind and your feelings. That you wanted to beat this fear on your own."

"I can't," Rei admitted. She pulled a chair up and sat down, her left hand in a fist and her right hand covering it. "I tried. I tried everything I know. Ami's tried to help. Makoto's tried to help. Even Minako's tried to help. My Oba-San from the countryside came back and she's tried. Nothing works. I'm - - haunted by that place and that time and those evil, cruel beings who held me and tormented me for two years!" Her head fell into her hands. "I drove Derek away. I'm worthless as a priest. I barely function as a Senshi. I can't go on with this, Serenity."

"But Rei, what I did was wrong," Serenity said. Tears were in her eyes, tears for the suffering her friend was experiencing. "You said so yourself and you were right."

"It was wrong because you didn't ask," Rei said softly. "This is different. I'm asking. I'm giving you permission - - if you'll do it. Maybe I'm asking too much . . ."

"You're sure?" Serenity asked.

"You healed my arm," Rei told her. "I know it's a few steps up, but you'd be basically healing my mind."

"If that's what you want," Serenity replied. "Of course."

"I don't want to forget," Rei added. "I just want to be - - disconnected from it. Like it was something I read once, you know?"

"If you think it will help you," Serenity said. "Hold still."

Serenity brought up her right hand. As it neared Rei, the hand began to glow silver. Serenity lightly caressed the left side of Rei's face. Gently Rei closed her eyes. The sensation was like she was standing naked in a pool and warm water was washing over her, washing out all of the fear, the regret, the anger and the depression that had poisoned her soul. Gently Rei's eyes opened. Serenity's hand was in her lap again. The Queen looked expectantly at her.

Rei's lower lip trembled. It was like Serenity had removed a blindfold from her. Serenity's aura shone bright, as did the aura of every living thing in the room. For the first time in over three years Rei felt normal again.

"Thank you," Rei whispered, emotion robbing her of her voice. Serenity swooped in and hugged her and Rei hugged back, so grateful to the gods that this woman was in her life.

Finally the clinch broke. Rei stood up, eager to rejoin the world now that she was whole again, yet loathe to leave Serenity's side. Just then the door flew open.

"There you are!" Minako exclaimed.

Makoto was behind her and didn't stop to speak. She barreled forward and tackled Rei, throwing the priest to the floor amid Serenity's squeals of alarm. Rei struggled to get up, but Makoto had superior strength and superior leverage. She had Rei pinned to the floor. And then Minako sat on her legs, making escape that much more impossible.

"GET OFF ME!" bellowed Rei.

"What are you two doing?" shrieked Serenity.

"This is an intervention, Serenity," Minako told her.

"HAVE YOU TWO LOST YOUR MINDS?" Rei roared.

"There's no way in Hell you're committing suicide on my watch!" Makoto shouted back.

"Suicide?" Serenity gasped in horror.

"This depression thing has reached a dangerous stage, Serenity," Minako said with implied authority. "We've decided to intervene now before something drastic happens. That's where you come in. We'll hold her down. You fix her mind."

"But . . .!" Serenity began.

"I know we told you it was wrong," Minako cut her off. "It's not the sort of medicine for your typical average patient. But this is an emergency special case. You've got to do it, Serenity. There's no way in Hell I'm going to lose my friend to suicide and I'm not going to just watch her waste away to nothing when we can do something about it!"

"Yeah, what she said!" Makoto nodded.

"CAN I SAY . . .!" Rei snarled.

"Quiet! This is for your own good!" Makoto snapped.

"But I already . . .!" Serenity began.

"SERENITY!" Rei shouted, cutting her off.

Instinctively, Serenity looked at Rei. And she couldn't believe what she saw. Unnoticed by Makoto and Minako, Rei nodded to her and winked. Serenity just stared for a few seconds and Rei began to fear that the Queen had gone full Usagi at the worst time. Finally it dawned on her what Rei was thinking.

"Do it, Serenity!" Makoto shouted. "You have to! She's too important to risk losing!"

"A-All right," Serenity replied.

Not really knowing what to do, the Queen pointed her right hand at Rei and then shook it. Rei took it from there. Dramatically she sucked in air, then emitted a deep, satisfied sigh and went limp under Makoto. Makoto and Minako looked at her, puzzled.

"You can get off now," Rei said calmly. "I'm OK."

"You sure?" Makoto asked, hopping off and helping Rei sit up. "You're you again?"

"I'm whole again," Rei assured her. "What happened on Knorr is a distant, unpleasant memory."

"Good! Hey, I'm sorry about roughing you up. But I figured we had to do something, you know?"

"Your heart was in the right place, Makoto," Rei said.

"Wait, you're not just saying that to get rid of us, are you?" Minako asked, giving her a suspicious look. "Read something in me that only I'd know."

Rei sighed. "You're still sneaking chocolates even though the contract for your next picture has a weight clause," Rei replied with a scowl.

"She's back to normal," Minako replied, rolling her eyes.

Makoto became embarrassed and excused herself from the room, herding Minako out as she left. Rei and Serenity sat in the silence of the room. They looked around. Then they looked at each other.

Then the two women collapsed into convulsions of laughter. Each one hugged the other as they continued to laugh. They enjoyed the humor for several minutes and Serenity was heard giggling randomly for several hours after.

Continued in Chapter 10


	10. The Nine Into Four

THE MOON KING  
Chapter 10: "The Nine Into Four"  
A Sailor Moon/Neo-Sailor Moon crossover fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

It was the year 2997. Hotaru stepped carefully on the treadmill, looking down at her feet as her hands gripped the side railings so hard that her knuckles were white. One foot forward and then another; it was like learning to walk all over again. The girl snuck a glance at her vital signs, which were displayed holographicly before her on the treadmill. So far everything was nominal: heart rate, blood pressure, breathing rate and her oxygenation scan all were in the prescribed areas. She had to admit that she was doing better, but she still felt weak as a newborn.

"You're doing fine, Hotaru," her physical therapist, Jotaro Waruda, said. "I'm right here and I'll catch you if you falter."

Jotaro was five foot nine inches of solid, sculpted muscle, with thick black hair and a devilishly handsome face. He reminded her of some of the martial arts action stars on the old movies she would watch with Usa, Ves and Jun. It had taken her several weeks to get over the mental discomfort of him working with her while she wore the hospital gown that bared her legs to him. Yutaka had taken an instant dislike to him the last time he'd visited her and Jotaro had been there. Usa, on the other hand, had been very appreciative of his presence and after Jotaro left had made several lewd remarks that sent Hotaru's cheeks to flushing crimson.

"How are you feeling?" Jotaro inquired. "Think you can give me another five minutes? It's OK if you want to quit."

"I can go," Hotaru wheezed.

Truth to tell, her thighs and calves were beginning to burn. But Hotaru pressed on. She was still eager to be done with this recovery and this hospital room and it spurred her on. And as long as her cardiac numbers were within safe areas, she was determined to keep going.

"OK, we can stop now," Jotaro told her. Hotaru stopped and the treadmill carried her to the end, where she felt Jotaro's hands brace against her back. "Switch on your gravity belt."

Hotaru pushed a button on the belt around her waist. The belt used magnetism to throw a field around her, the field partially neutralizing the pull of gravity on her. With less weight, her legs had less to support, allowing her to walk. As the strength in her legs increased, the gravity field could be reduced.

"Hotaru, you're doing very well," Jotaro told her as they slowly walked from the therapy room to the adjacent massage room for her post therapy rubdown. "If you keep up at this pace, you'll be able to get rid of that belt in two weeks."

He helped her up on the table. Lying face down, Hotaru pulled nervously at the hem of her gown. When she was finished, Jotaro began massaging her thighs and calves. After she'd gotten over the initial shock of another man's hands on her legs, Hotaro had come to enjoy this part. And she certainly needed it. The massage seemed to work away the burning soreness of her muscles, muscles she had pushed to their limit.

She was going to have to dig up some holo-vids of this and show Yutaka. Maybe he could learn something.

* * *

"Five dead and twenty-two wounded, Your Majesty," Civilian Defense and Protection Chief Nakamura reported. He was appearing as a holographic transmission in King Endymion's office in the palace. Endymion listened intently, as did Luna, who had invited herself to sit in when she heard Nakamura was calling. "Our forensics teams are on the case, but there's little doubt as to who is responsible."

"The Nine Into Four," Endymion said aloud what Luna was thinking. "Is there any new information on them, Chief?"

"Not since my last briefing," Nakamura responded. "But rest assured, my staff is putting all available resources on this. We'll track them down."

"Are you also working on where they're getting their weapons from?"

"Of course, Your Majesty," Nakamura declared. "We have some leads in Sapporo that are very promising. I'm anticipating an arrest very soon, possibly even by tomorrow."

"Keep me informed, Chief," Endymion nodded.

Nakamura ended the transmission. Uttering a frustrated sigh, Endymion got up and headed for the door. Luna jumped down to the floor to follow him.

"This is the third such attack, Your Majesty," Luna said as they went into the hall. "Shopping plazas, sporting events and now a dance club. Hardly behavior one would expect in this enlightened age."

"Some people take longer to change than others," Endymion replied.

"You're certainly taking this calmly," Luna noted. "Pardon my impertinence."

"I grieve for the injured and for the families of the dead," Endymion told her. "But it's necessary to keep a cool head in order to find a way to stop further attacks."

"You feel there will be further attacks?" Luna asked. He nodded. "Your Majesty, what do you think they want? Obviously this is designed to instill fear and unrest in the kingdom. But to what end?"

"I don't know," he replied. "I can't think of a grievance someone might have against the government. We try to address everyone's complaints as best we can. Maybe it's someone who is just philosophically opposed to Serenity's vision of paradise. Like that man from eighteen years ago who attacked her when she was carrying Usa."

"Perhaps it's just some roving band of dropouts who seek violence for its own sake," scowled the black cat. "And now we must all pay for someone's bad parenting skills."

"It could be," Endymion chuckled. "If the problem persists, I'm probably going to have to assign the Senshi to look into it."

"You're speaking of the Elders, of course?" Luna asked. "Although considering how headstrong the Princess is, I'm surprised she hasn't already marshaled her Senshi into investigating."

"She's been a little occupied with Hotaru's recovery," Endymion smiled. "But it wouldn't surprise me if she takes an interest. It might even hasten the case being solved. I don't mind admitting I was wrong about how quickly she could adapt to being Sailor Moon. That girl never stops amazing me. Sometimes I wonder if I should just abdicate in favor of her and take Serenity on a vacation to some scenic hot spring for a couple of centuries."

"Not just yet, Your Majesty," Luna replied with a fanged grin. "Just because the Princess BELIEVES she knows everything doesn't mean she actually knows everything."

Endymion smiled with familiar mirth. Then he arrived at the door to Serenity's personal office and the smile faded.

"Now comes the hard part," Endymion said, then glanced at Luna. "Telling Serenity what happened."

* * *

Hours later, Queen Serenity sat in a comfortable chair in the Royal Chambers, Mamoko cradled in her arms. Next to the chair was a table with dishes of pureed solid food. Looking over her shoulder was Makoto, who had prepared the food. As the Queen spooned up some of the food and brought it over to Mamoko, Makoto would watch with anticipation.

"Ready for another bite?" Serenity asked as she brought the spoon over. The moment Mamoko spotted the spoon, she eagerly opened her mouth. The spoon went in and Mamoko clamped onto it, only letting go when every bit of the puree was in her mouth. "Oh, you like that, don't you?"

"Another satisfied customer," Makoto smiled proudly. "She's certainly got a healthy appetite. Guess that's not a surprise, given who she's a clone of."

"There's nothing wrong with a healthy appetite," Serenity maintained.

"Never said there was," Makoto shot back. "Doesn't seem to like the carrots, though."

"Well who would. They're nasty," Serenity scowled. She spooned up more. "Here comes some more." Mamoko reached for the spoon as it neared her. The door hissed open and Makoto glanced at it, only to see Usa enter with a cold compress over her eye.

"What happened to you, Kiddo?" Makoto asked.

Usa shrugged. "I was sparring with Ves and she got a little spirited. You know how she is when she gets into self-defense training. Besides, she's working off a LOT of frustration."

"OH MY GOODNESS!" gasped Serenity. "Usa, Honey, does it hurt very bad? Are you scarred? Do you want me to heal it?"

"Oh, Mom, don't freak," sighed the Princess with exasperation. "It's just a little welt under my eye." She smirked at Makoto. "If it's still there tonight, I'll have Helios kiss it and make it better." Makoto smirked in return. "Hey, Mamoko's on solid food now?"

"We just started her today," Serenity beamed.

"Took to it like a pro, too," Makoto added. "All except the carrots."

"Well? They're nasty," Usa declared.

"Do you think I need to talk to Ves?" Serenity asked. "Is she still heartbroken over that man she was seeing?"

"She's not heartbroken, Mom," Usa said. "Pissed, but not heartbroken. She's getting over it." A thought dawned on the young woman. "Maybe we should go out tonight. Me and the Asteroids could hit the Promenade and try to take her mind off of it." Her face fell. "Although I hate to go out with Hotaru still recovering."

"I think she can spare you for one night, Dear," Serenity said as Mamoko tried to inhale the spoon she held.

"Yeah, give poor Yutaka a chance to spend some time with Hotaru," Makoto teased.

"I've been that bad, huh?" Usa grimaced. "OK, I'll do it. Guess I better call them and find out if they're available." And Usa disappeared into her room.

"All gone, Mamoko-Chan," Serenity told her daughter. The child slapped her hands insistently on her thighs. "I'm sorry, Honey, you ate it all." The baby continued to insist. So the Queen turned to Makoto.

"Careful you don't overfeed her, Hon'," Makoto warned. "Otherwise you'll end up with a pudgy little blonde blimp."

"But look at that face," Serenity whined, looking back at her baby. "How can you say 'no' to that face?"

"Centuries of practice. Nobody said being a mom was easy, Serenity," Makoto smiled. "You ought to know that. You have to teach her and one thing you have to teach her is not to be a glutton."

"Oh, poo," Serenity scowled. She brought the child up to her shoulder. "Sorry, no more wonderful delicious food right now, Mamoko-Chan. You just go to sleep and dream about how much you're going to enjoy your next meal."

"Yeah, that's teaching her," Makoto smirked.

* * *

Three young women walked along the Promenade, the main retail and entertainment district of Crystal Tokyo, and turned the heads of the other people there. Not because of who they were; Usa always used a variety of chemical and synthetic disguises to avoid being mobbed by the population and the Asteroids weren't as instantly recognizable. It was their dress and deportment that caught everyone's eye.

Usa wore a bushy long wig of sky blue hair and a spray-on chemical that temporarily darkened her skin tone, which along with makeup concealed her identity. Her busty, feline body was barely covered by an electric blue mini-dress with spaghetti straps, matching blue calf boots, and black hose. Ves chose a similar dress, though in burgundy, and low-heel flats, while Jun had on a midriff-baring white long-sleeve blouse with a teardrop bodice and white slacks with flared legs.

"It's too bad Palla-Palla couldn't come," Usa said as the young women strolled down the street.

"It was her idea," Jun replied. "She's not into the same bands we like."

"And the concert is past her bedtime anyway," Ves added.

"And Cere?" Usa asked.

"Out with her skinny boyfriend, where else?" Ves snorted.

"Speaking of boyfriends, I'm surprised you asked us and not Helios," Jun said.

"I wanted to be out with you," Usa maintained. "You're my friends, too, and I thought a girls night out was past due."

"Did you think of that before or after Ves nailed you under the eye?" Jun smirked.

"I TOLD YOU THAT WAS AN ACCIDENT!" Ves roared. Jun and Usa both broke up giggling. "Ah, screw both of you."

"It's OK, Ves," Usa grinned. "I'm not as fragile as everyone things I am. It was a good workout." She touched the side of her face. "And it reminded me to keep my guard up."

"Hey, we got some time before the show," Ves suggested. "Want to duck in here? Do a little dancing, maybe get a drink." She glanced mischievously at the Princess. "It's OK. They serve water."

"Yeah," Jun joined in, picking up on Ves's jab. "We wouldn't want you dancing on a table with a couple of fans, Princess."

"In the immortal words of Ves," Usa replied with a mock haughty tone, "screw both of you."

The three giggled as they entered the club. Ves had her usual rum and cola. Usa had a raspberry water, while Jun vacillated between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and finally settled on a limeade. As the club pulsated with the beat of the dance music and young people occupied the floor, the trio moved to a table.

"Hey, isn't this the club you met Rodrigo in?" Usa spoke up suddenly. Jun glanced at Ves with some concern.

"Yeah," Ves shrugged. "I like the music and they serve a good rum and cola." She glanced at her companions. "Look, I ain't going to get all weepy about it. Rodrigo had some things going for him, but it didn't work out. He made his choice. What am I going to do, totally alter the way I live just to avoid being reminded of it? Hell no."

"Actually, that's not a bad way to look at it," Usa confessed. "Of course I don't know if I could do that if Helios and I suddenly broke up."

"Maybe it's easier because they weren't together that long," Jun theorized. "Of course, Quad and I weren't together that long, either."

"You two are dragging down the evening and I won't let you," Ves declared. "Not on account of him."

"OK," nodded Usa. "So this band - - are they any good?"

"They are fantastic!" Jun exclaimed. "They totally reject electronic composition and instrumentation of all kinds and just play basic roots grunge death blues."

"They're OK," Ves added. "I like them because of their anti-establishment lyrics. That's why I was surprised you agreed to go, Princess. They don't play that dance club stuff that you sing."

"I'm open to new experiences," Usa protested. "The last thing I want to be is safe . . ."

Suddenly the club was rocked. An explosion blew the front doors inward, scattering the patrons who had just entered, as well as the security personnel at the door. Instantly Ves had her henshin stick out while Jun and Usa stared in shock. Stepping through the smoke were three men dressed from head to toe in protective black anti-contamination suits.

"YOU PEOPLE ALL SUCK!" bellowed the man in the middle. He and the other two held laser rifles on the crowd. "YOU WASTE THE AIR YOU ALL BREATHE! DIE!"

The intruders on both wings began randomly firing lethal laser pulses into the crowd. The mass of people panicked and surged for the back of the club. Unnoticed by the mass of people, the intruder in the middle lobbed several canisters into the midst of the crowd. When each canister struck the floor, it began to emit a green gas.

"Fauna Assimilation, Bengal Tiger!"

The intruder on the right just had time to turn and glimpse the full grown female Bengal tiger leaping at him from her launch point on a table top. The three hundred pound jungle cat slammed into the man, knocking him to the floor with a jarring impact and causing his laser rifle to skitter away. He looked up into the cat's face and received a very menacing growl in return, the growl baring very large teeth.

"Aqua Initiation!"

Pulling the water out of the faucet at the bar, Sailor Juno formed a water globe that was the size of a bowling ball. Firing it across the room, the water projectile slammed into the chest of the intruder on the left, knocking him on his back. The impact with the floor sent his weapon flying away. He lay there, stunned, grabbing at his chest and writhing on the floor.

Sailor Moon was about to deal with the middle assailant, but her attention was caught by the canisters spewing gas into the room. The patrons nearest to the gas began collapsing and were laying on the floor, twitching helplessly. Instantly she realized the seriousness of the situation and brought the Moon Tier to bear.

"Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss!" she shouted urgently.

Pink waves radiated out from the Moon Tier, blanketing the club. The attack had a triple effect: It calmed the panicked patrons still on their feet, so there was no longer a stampede to the back exits; it eased the convulsions of the patrons affected by the gas; and it neutralized the gas, changing the color from a green mist to a harmless pink one.

Meanwhile the center intruder had turned his laser rifle on Vesta, forcing her to transform into a fly to avoid the laser blast. He didn't get off a second shot, though. Another water projectile struck the rifle and knocked it from his hand. The intruder turned and retreated out of the blown open door, tossing another canister behind him.

"Don't get near the gas! It's some sort of nerve toxin!" Sailor Moon yelled. "Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss!"

As Sailor Moon neutralized the gas, Vesta transformed back into a tiger and barreled out the door in pursuit, Juno close at her heels. Once the gas was taken care of, Sailor Moon followed. Once out in the street, she found the third assailant. He was bracketed by Vesta and Juno, while the public fled or watched from safe distances. Already the night air was filled with the robotic voices of observation drones directing the public to safety or demanding the surrender of the man in black. In the distance, CDP air cars could be heard converging. The assailant held a gas canister over his head, keeping Vesta and Juno at bay.

"I'M NOT BLUFFING!" the man in black yelled. "EITHER YOU LET ME GO OR MORE PEOPLE DIE!"

"What's this all about?" Sailor Moon demanded. "Why are you doing this?"

"NINE INTO FOUR!" he shouted. "NINE INTO FOUR! COME GET SOME, PRINCESS!"

Vesta looked like she was crouching to spring. Sailor Moon shook her head and Vesta pulled back. Sailor Moon saw Juno was moving her hand to manipulate the water in the decorative fountain down the street. She gave her a subtle nod.

Then from out of nowhere an arrow pierced the man in black from behind, the tip emerging from his chest. He pitched forward and fell to the street, his canister bouncing in front of him. Gas began spraying from it ominously.

Continued in Chapter 11


	11. Double Mystery

THE MOON KING  
Chapter 11: "Double Mystery"  
A Sailor Moon/Neo-Sailor Moon crossover fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

Nerve toxin began spewing from the dropped canister even as the man who held it pitched forward, an arrow sticking out of his chest. Sailor Moon was about to turn the Moon Tier on it, but the canister began to roll forward, propelled by the pressure of the escaping gas. Sailor Moon backed up quickly, trying to regain space between her and the canister.

"Aqua Initiation!" Juno shouted. She drew water from a nearby decorative fountain and surrounded the canister in a globe of water. The globe both contained the gas and caused it to cool. As it cooled, the gas changed into solid particulate matter, coloring the globe a green-yellow hue.

"Thanks for the save, Juno," Sailor Moon nodded.

Her attention immediately turned to the general area the arrow had come from. From the angle in the dead assailant's chest that the arrow protruded from, she estimated where the shot had come from. Sailor Moon could see Vesta was already investigating, changed to a red-tailed hawk. A CDP hovercar was pulling up behind her.

"That's weird," Sailor Moon muttered as she stared up.

"What's weird?" Juno asked. She had joined Sailor Moon while continuing to contain the gas canister.

"The angle of that shot." Sailor Moon said. "The only place it could have come was from the top of that office building over there."

"The one Vesta is circling?" Juno asked. "That's almost seven hundred kilometers away! There's no way anyone could fire an arrow that far or that accurately!"

"I know," Sailor Moon replied. "That's what's bugging me. That's the only place the arrow could have come from at that trajectory. I can double check it on my computer at home, but I think I'm right about it."

"Sailor Moon," a CDP officer ventured as he approached. "What exactly happened here? There were reports of shooting."

"It was another terrorist attack by Nine Into Four," Sailor Moon told the officer. The officer immediately turned to his partner.

"I'll call it in," the partner nodded.

"We've got multiple casualties in that club," Sailor Moon pointed to the bombed open dance club they had been in. "Some have laser wounds and others were poisoned by a nerve toxin."

The officer directed other CDP into the club. "And him?" he asked, pointing to the dead assailant on the street.

"He seemed to be the leader. He was the one tossing gas canisters. He kept yelling 'nine into four'."

"Which one of you took him out?" the CDP officer asked, nodding to the body of the terror suspect. Just then Vesta flew up, morphing as she landed into human form.

"Outside of the building's clear," Vesta reported. "The shooter had to have ran inside before I could spot him. People just don't disappear."

"Unless he had a light refraction suit," suggested Juno.

"Then he was holding still," Vesta argued. "With my hawk vision, I would have seen the distortion a light refraction suit gives off."

Sailor Moon turned to the officer. "Apparently nobody did."

* * *

"Security drone recordings confirm the angle of the arrow," Chief Nakamura reported.

Nakamura appeared as a holographic image in the Palace conference room. King Endymion was there debriefing Sailor Moon and her two Senshi. Also present were Ami, Minako, Rei, Luna, Artemis, Diana, Cere and Palla-Palla. While the others present listened to the report, Palla-Palla silently played with a doll.

"That's not possible, is it?" Jun spoke up. "An arrow can't travel that far, can it?"

"If the archer has sufficient pull on the bowstring," Rei said authoritatively, "and remarkable eyesight - - or some sort of telescopic vision enhancement - - it could be done. There have been recorded shots of over five hundred kilometers."

"I concur on the necessity of vision enhancement," Ami nodded. "And from a technical standpoint, Rei is correct about draw on the bowstring. However, the necessary torque on the bowstring is beyond anything imaginable for a normal human, and the thickness and rigidity of the bowstring to withstand such torque without breaking would also preclude a normal human from drawing it."

"Nobody is strong enough to pull such a shot off," Minako added.

"I believe I said that," Ami replied with mild surprise.

"Just providing subtitles," Minako answered. Artemis rolled his eyes.

"So we're looking at something superhuman?" Endymion summarized.

"Or cybernetically enhanced," Ami added.

"Got to be, Pop," Usa nodded. "And he can probably phase or teleport or turn invisible, too. Because there was no trace of him that either Vesta or I could find."

"Him or her," Diana added. Usa nodded and gave her a stroke on the head.

"Chief, I'd like a copy of the surveillance drone recordings for the area to study, please," Endymion said. "Now, about these three who attacked the club . . .?"

"They're linked with Nine Into Four, no doubt about it. Once the other two found out their leader was dead, they started talking pretty quickly," Nakamura reported. "The suspects were using illegal laser rifles with the ID chip removed. We're in the process of tracing them now. The gas in the canisters was a barium chloride isotope combined with a phosphorus casing that ignited and turned the isotope into a poisonous gas. As for the suspects, they both come from respectable middle class homes, but they have no work or school record for the past three years. Your basic dropouts."

"And the one who was killed?"

"Ataru Genshinko, twenty-two, dropped out of school at seventeen. His arrest record shows four convictions for vagrancy, vandalism, and petty theft. Sentenced to rehabilitation three times," and Nakamura looked up with an acid expression, "skipped all three times. He had an arrest warrant for skipping rehab at the time."

"Was he the leader of this movement or just the leader of that particular squad?"

"We're still investigating," Nakamura replied. "Given his jacket, I wouldn't put much credence in him being behind the movement."

"Usa, did he say anything that might give a reason why these attacks are being made?" Ami asked Usa.

"No. I even asked him. They didn't have any agenda that I could see, although he seemed pretty contemptuous of people in general. He just kept shouting slogans and trying to kill people," the teen replied. Her expression grew serious. "Almost like he was high or something."

"Chemical stimulation?"

"Doubt it," Ves grunted. Everybody looked at her. "I've seen folks on psycho rampages after they took too much. Didn't look anything like this. More like he was high on the violence."

"Coroner tox screens didn't show anything in his system," Nakamura added.

"So this whole terrorist thing is just so they can get off on the violence and mayhem?" Jun asked incredulously.

"It's a thought," Ami answered. "One I believe should be explored further."

"Oh, fine," sighed Cere. "So much for paradise."

"Even paradise had its serpents," Artemis said.

"I'll leave the club attack to you, Chief," Endymion spoke up. "Please keep me posted." The hologram of Nakamura nodded and disappeared. "We'll investigate this mysterious archer. Ami, I know your schedule is packed, but anything you can offer would be appreciated. Rei, Minako and Makoto will handle the bulk of the investigation while I study the surveillance records. Usa," and his daughter perked up, "I need you and your team on standby in case the archer reappears or there's another terrorist attack. You all need to stay in the palace until this is resolved."

"Got it, Pop," Usa nodded. "We'll get this solved."

"Hopefully before anyone else dies," Rei murmured.

"And before my love life withers on the vine," Cere groaned. "Hiroki is going to freak when he hears this."

* * *

"Sure I can't get you anything?" Haruka asked.

The woman was edgy and seemed frightened about doing or saying the wrong thing. It was becoming familiar behavior for Hotaru. Ever since the incident that landed her in the infirmary, her Haruka-Papa had been walking on eggshells around her.

"I'm sure, Papa," Hotaru sighed. "Papa, don't worry. I'm going to be all right. Mizuno-Sensei said so and she's usually right about these things."

"Yeah," Haruka nodded unconvincingly. "But it'd be just my luck if this was the one time she was wrong." Her eyes widened. "N-Not that I've heard anything! I mean, yeah, yeah, you're going to be up and around in no time!"

"Oh, Papa," Hotaru exhaled.

"Sorry, Firefly," Haruka said, avoiding the teen's gaze. "It's just - - damn it, it shouldn't be you in that bed! It should be me! You got your whole life ahead of you! Something like this shouldn't happen!"

"Well, it was my fault. I pushed myself too far," Hotaru said with some guilt. "But Papa, it wouldn't be any better if it was you here and not me. Then I'd be the one feeling scared and helpless." Haruka seemed to flush a little. "And Michiru-Mama would still be upset."

"Just one more reminder that life kicks you in the ass when you least expect it," Haruka huffed.

"Excuse me," a man said, poking his head into the room. Hotaru could see it was Dr. Gong, one of the other physicians working in the infirmary. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but I need to take your medical scans for the evening." The doctor turned to Haruka. "You can stay if you like. This will only take a few minutes."

"Sure," Haruka nodded. "How is she, Doc? Really?"

"Let's find out," Dr. Gong replied. He swung a virtual reality panel around and began pressing light images. Dr. Gong was thirty-six, originally from China. He had married a Japanese woman whom he had met in medical school and emigrated to Japan at twenty-seven. He'd been with the Crystal Palace medical staff for three years.

"Where's Dr. Mizuno?" Hotaru asked.

"She's meeting with the King at the moment," Dr. Gong answered as he studied the charts. "I imagine it's due to the incident at the club tonight."

"Incident?"

"Another terrorist attack. Apparently they weren't counting on running into The Princess when they attacked."

"Is she all right?" gasped Hotaru.

"She's fine, Firefly," Haruka assured her.

"Papa, why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want you getting worked up. Not in the shape you're in." Hotaru scowled impatiently at her.

"You're making very good progress, Tomoe-San," Dr. Gong informed her. "The physical therapy is contributing nicely to your recovery. You should be up and around in two weeks."

"And being a Senshi?"

"Let's see how you are in two weeks," he cautioned. Hotaru blew at her bangs.

"Slow and steady, Firefly," Haruka told her, patting her arm.

"Easy for you to say," Hotaru muttered.

* * *

After the meeting broke up, Usa said her farewells to her friends and headed for her quarters. The concert was in progress, so it was too late to attend - - not that she was in the mood to party anyway. As she walked, the Princess replayed the sequence of events in her mind. Blankly concentrating on that, she didn't see what was waiting for her at the door until she was enveloped by it.

"Oh, Honey," Serenity whimpered, engulfing her first born in her arms. Usa was startled at first, but stopped resisting when she saw who it was. She even took some comfort in it. "Are you all right?"

"I'm OK, Mom," Usa mumbled. "Just wondering if I could have done more."

"I heard about those poor people who died," Serenity said meekly. "It's just terrible when something like that happens. But I'm sure you did your best."

"Wish I could be sure."

"Are you hungry?" Serenity asked. "I promise I'll send out."

That drew a smile from her daughter. "Maybe later."

"Oh, and you've got someone waiting for you in the inner chamber," Serenity said. The impish grin that was growing on the Queen's lips was a giveaway as to who it was, but Usa held back her anticipation. She was rewarded when she entered the room.

"Helios," Usa sighed and fell into his arms. "Seems like an eternity since I've seen you."

"It was just this morning, Maiden," Helios replied softly, his arms around her. "But I share your impression." The Queen looked on, beaming.

"If you'd like, you two can go out on the balcony for a little privacy," Serenity suggested.

"Mom, stop matchmaking," Usa sighed. Then her mouth screwed up with chagrin. "Let's, um, sit out on the balcony." As they headed for the door, Usa could feel her mother's Cheshire grin.

Out on the balcony, overlooking the sprawling city of Crystal Tokyo illuminated at night, Usa sat on the bench and snuggled against Helios.

"Does the incident still disturb you?" he asked.

"Yeah," she admitted. "All those people in the club were just there to have a good time. They weren't hurting anybody. And then these three guys show up and start killing people. Makes me mad." She burrowed in closed to Helios. "If it is just for kicks or boredom or what, that's just evil. But even if it is for a cause, even a worthy cause, it's not right to do that."

She waited for Helios to respond. When he didn't, she grew curious and looked up at him. Helios was staring out into the night sky with a serious look on his face.

"What is it?" she asked.

"I sense," Helios began, then hesitated, "a presence; an aura. Something not of this world, not of this environment."

"An alien?"

"Not exactly," Helios frowned. "More otherworldly than extra-terrestrial. And yet that does not adequately describe what I sense either." He turned his head and looked at his love. "The closest comparison I can make is what I sense when I am in the presence of your mother, the Queen."

"Mom?" Usa asked, utterly confused and unwilling to hide it.

"Yes," Helios nodded, then returned to looking at the night sky. "Furthermore, I believe this presence is watching us."

"Maybe we better find out for sure," Usa said grimly.

After transforming, Sailor Moon lifted up into the sky astride Pegasus. She gave Pegasus his head, since he was sensing the presence and she wasn't. As they flew, Sailor Moon flipped open her Senshi Communicator.

"Ves here. What's up, Princess?" came the reply.

"I'm flying over the city on Pegasus just north of the palace," Sailor Moon said. "We're investigating a possible - - well, I'm not sure what we're looking for. Guess I won't know until we find it."

"Need backup?"

"Not yet," Sailor Moon told her. "We haven't found anything and if we do, there's no reason yet to assume it's hostile. I just wanted to let someone know where we were, just in case."

"Gotcha. Me and the others will stay sharp," Ves replied. Then there was a chuckle. "Well, we'll have to wake Palla-Palla. Call us if you need us. We'll be ready."

The white winged horse banked and swooped over the rooftops of the residential north side, a pink mane trailing behind him. As they flew, they neared a recreational area nestled in the midst of the neighborhood. The area was deserted, the children who played there all asleep.

"I don't see anything, Helios," Sailor Moon leaned in and said to her steed. "Do you still sense the presence?"

"More than ever, Maiden," Pegasus thought to her. "It seems to be strongest from that playground to the right."

Cautiously Sailor Moon had Pegasus circle twice over the playground. When she saw no obvious traps or hazards, she signaled the equine and he landed elegantly in a grassy patch. Sailor Moon dismounted and looked around.

"Helios?" she asked.

"The presence is here, Maiden," Pegasus thought back. "Perhaps concealed?"

"Hello?" Sailor Moon spoke up. "We can sense your presence. We can sense that you've been watching us. If you're afraid, you don't have to be. I won't hurt you."

A nearby tree began to shake, then a man dropped out of it. Sailor Moon and Pegasus looked him over. He was as tall as she was, with a round head adorned by an ancient chonmage, and a thick, muscular body. A very plain, ancient style kimono covered his body and wood sandals were on his feet. His chubby face made him seem like he was squinting and a short beard and mustache framed its lower half. Sailor Moon took in every detail, including the long and short swords he had tucked in his sash, and the bow and quiver of arrows he had slung over his shoulder. But the man smiled as he approached, so Sailor Moon wasn't certain whether he meant friendship or to catch her off-guard.

"I fear no one," he replied off-hand. "And you need not fear me. My, but you've grown up to be a fine woman, and the image of your mother and grandmother besides."

"Do I know you?" Sailor Moon asked.

"Only in your heart," the stranger said, stopping eight feet from her. "I am your grandfather."

Continued in Chapter 12


	12. Return Of The King

THE MOON KING  
Chapter 12: "Return Of The King"  
A Sailor Moon/Neo-Sailor Moon crossover fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

"I am your grandfather."

Sailor Moon stared at the man, confused and uncertain about his pronouncement. The only grandfather she had ever known was Kenji Tsukino, when she had visited the twentieth century as a child. This wasn't Kenji Tsukino, and her father's parents had died when he was six.

Then a memory came of her mother's long career and with it recognition. Instantly she pressed the alert button on her Senshi Communicator, then materialized the Moon Tier and pointed it at the stranger. Pegasus took a step back in surprise.

"What do you want?" Sailor Moon demanded.

"Certain not a fight," Tsukuyomi replied, holding his position neutrally. "I see your mother has told you of me."

"I learned about it on my own," the Princess answered. "She doesn't talk about you - - at all."

Tsukuyomi took in a breath and then exhaled. "Distressing," he commented. "I had hoped for better from her."

"You kidnaped her! What do you expect?"

"I tried to reunite with her," he maintained. "In hindsight, I will admit that my method wasn't - - respectful. But I have no desire to repeat that incident, with her or with you."

"Then what do you want?"

"To know you," Tsukuyomi told her and the gruff, stoic warrior facade seemed to crumble away just a little bit. "I only just discovered that you existed."

"I've been around a while," Sailor Moon replied suspiciously. "News travels that slowly to the Moon?"

Tsukuyomi looked away. "Your mother rejected the life I offered her. In a fit of anger, I had done with her. I ignored her life amid the humans for as long as I could." He paused, the next words hard for him to say. "But she was still my child. When it became more than I could bear, I would peek in on her. And I would see how far she had come - - without me. It would become too much to bear again and I would look away - - until I could look away no longer."

"All you had to do was visit," Sailor Moon told him. By now Pegasus had transformed into Helios and stood by her side. "If you came in peace, she would have welcomed you."

"My race is not immune to pride," he answered. "She didn't want me and she didn't need me, so I stayed away." He turned back to her, brightening considerably. "And then I peeked in on her and found she had graced me with a granddaughter. And I thought I had a second chance. That I could pass on my experience and in turn watch you grow and mature," and he swallowed, "and know that I had done some good by being in this universe."

"I'm not going to the Moon," Sailor Moon declared flatly. Tsukuyomi's enthusiasm dimmed.

"Your perception of me is colored by past deeds," he said. "I should have expected that. Since your mother doesn't speak of me, I have only myself to blame. If you wish it, I will go and not bother you again."

Now it was Sailor Moon's turn to take a dramatic breath.

"Um, let's, uh, not be hasty, OK?" she said, chagrined. "I mean, if you're serious about not trying to run my life and all - - if you just want to visit, I guess that's OK. I have to admit, I am curious about what wasn't put in the history texts about you. But don't get the wrong idea. My life is here and I'm going to stay here."

"My word as a warrior; I am not here to run your life," Tsukuyomi told her. "I am simply as curious about you as you perhaps are of me."

Just then, a huge chestnut-colored winged horse with a crimson mane dove in from out of the sky. It was Sailor Vesta and astride her were the other Asteroid Senshi. Vesta's hooves no sooner touched the ground than she changed into a lowland gorilla.

"Floral Stimulation!" shouted Sailor Ceres. As Vesta charged Tsukuyomi, thick vines sprouted at his feet and began wrapping around his legs.

"Wait!" Sailor Moon shouted.

But Tsukuyomi passed through the vines like a ghost and levitated above Vesta's charge. Though his hand was on the hilt of his sword as he landed, he made no overt menacing move.

"You hit the emergency alert!" Juno exclaimed as the others looked at her quizzically.

"Sorry. False alarm," Sailor Moon told them. "I - - misjudged the situation."

"Your retainers are quite fervent in their desire to protect you," Tsukuyomi commented. "That does you much credit."

"Who's Toshiro Mifune over here?" Vesta asked, still in gorilla form.

"Long story. I'll tell you later," Sailor Moon answered. She turned to Tsukuyomi. "Look, I'm kind of in the middle of something right now. Maybe we can visit later? You can drop by the Palace."

"I'm not certain your parents would welcome me," Tsukuyomi replied.

"I'll work on them," Sailor Moon assured him. Then she had a thought. "Uh, how do I contact you?"

Tsukuyomi approached. "Speak my name and I shall appear." He seemed about to burst with pride. "I hope we can share many pleasant times in the future."

With that, the Moon King faded away, to the wonderment of the Asteroids. They looked curiously at Sailor Moon.

"Did I do the right thing, Helios?" Sailor Moon wondered aloud.

"Extending the olive branch of peace is rarely a bad thing, Maiden," Helios told her.

"Yeah," she nodded. "As long as I keep my eyes open."

* * *

"Her grandfather?" Cere openly wondered as they returned to their quarters in the Palace. "Excuse me, but I don't exactly see the resemblance."

"Maybe we need to look into it," Jun posed. "You know, to protect her in case she buys into this too soon."

"And get yourself a big fat piece of gossip you can spread all over the Palace," Ves jabbed. Jun responded with a rude gesture.

"Well that fade out he did suggests The Queen to me," Cere judged. "And he handled our attacks pretty easily. That would follow if he was Queen Serenity's father."

"Not proof, though," Jun said. "Palla-Palla, did you get any impression from him?"

Palla-Palla shook her head. "Palla-Palla couldn't hear him, just like she can't hear The Queen. But Palla-Palla did hear that The Princess thinks he's really her grandpa."

Jun sighed and glanced at Cere. "Suppose we ought to tell the Elders?"

"Remember Usa said she was going to work on her parents to get them to let him visit?" Cere replied as they entered their quarters. "Maybe we better hold off and see what she does first. Then we can decide."

"Well I'm going to see what I can find," Jun stated as she slid into her chair in front of her work station.

"You do that. I'm going to go to bed," Ves grunted and headed for her room.

"Thanks for the help," Jun said acidly.

"It's OK. Ves wouldn't have been any help anyway," Cere patted Jun's shoulder. "It involved reading." Palla-Palla began giggling as she headed for her room.

* * *

"I can't believe they can still make me feel this way," the Princess whispered nervously to Helios.

Usa and Helios were approaching her father's office in the Palace. It was the morning following her encounter with Tsukuyomi. Her intention had been to tell her father of the encounter and to convince him, should he object, to allow her to visit with him. But as they approached, Helios could see her stubborn resolve dissolving with each step she took. He reached down and took hold of her hand. Usa glanced at him, surprised by the gesture, then gave him a grateful smile.

The door to the office slid open and the pair entered. Endymion was seated at his desk. He gave the pair a warm smile, but Usa noticed a wariness in his eyes that confused her.

"What did you need, Honey?" he asked, trying not to sound anxious.

"Um, I, uh," Usa began haltingly and silently cursed herself, "well, I ran into someone last night - - and I wanted to tell you about it."

"Oh," Endymion responded, clearly surprised. His response surprised Usa.

"Why? What did you think I wanted?"

"I, um," the King began. "Never mind. Who did you meet?"

Usa took a steadying breath. "You remember Tsukuyomi?"

"Tsukuyomi?" Endymion repeated, his demeanor instantly tensing. "What did he do?"

"Pop, cool your jets," Usa told him. "He wasn't belligerent. He just wanted to meet me. Apparently he didn't know until now that I existed." She grew conciliatory. "He's kind of sorry about how things went down a thousand years ago."

"And you believed him?"

"Yeah, kind of," the Princess said. "I mean, sure, he could be lying. But I think he's sincere. I think he just wants a relationship with his granddaughter. And maybe, if I can establish a relationship with him, I can help patch things up between him and Mom and you."

"Usa, I don't trust him," Endymion said urgently. "Surely you understand why."

"Yeah, I understand. And I'm not saying you're wrong," Usa said. "That's why I'd like to invite him to the Palace. That way if he does try anything, we're on home turf."

Endymion stared at her from his chair. "Why do I get the impression that you're trying to manipulate me again?"

"POP!" fumed the teen. "Not EVERYTHING I say to you has an ulterior motive!"

Endymion gave the teen a look. Then his eyes shifted to Helios, who had been silent support up to now.

"Do you have an impression of him, Helios?" Endymion asked. "My history might be clouding my perception. And my daughter's perception might be clouded for different reasons."

"Thanks," grunted Usa.

"While it is not within my power to reveal to you what Tsukuyomi dreams," Helios spoke up, "I can say that I judge his current motives to be genuine. This, of course, cannot be a guarantee of future behavior. He is as mercurial as are many among lesser species than he. But I believe he means no harm to the Princess."

Endymion considered this. "All right, Honey. If you want this, he can come to the Palace. But he stays away from Serenity unless she initiates contact. That's non-negotiable. And you . . ."

"I'll be careful, Pop. I'm not a complete moron." She took the hand of Helios and headed for the door. "I'll let you know when he's coming. Pop, I think this is going to work!"

"I hope you're right," Endymion said, happy with her enthusiasm, yet unable to dispel his doubts. Outside the office, Usa looked at Helios.

"Just as planned," she smirked. Helios indulged in a moment of shock. "He bites on the 'anxious little girl' routine every time."

"Oh, you are a bad girl," he replied with amusement and pecked her on the cheek.

* * *

With the taste of Usa's lips still on his, Helios retired to his Spartan quarters in the palace. His first thought was to resume monitoring the Dreamscape, but a thought nagged at him. While it was true that he was familiar with Tsukuyomi, he was only recently familiar with him. And the being the Japanese had patterned one of their ancient legends on had lived a very long time; far longer than he had. Perhaps, Helios wondered, he didn't have as accurate a basis to judge Tsukuyomi's intentions as he thought.

Climbing onto the middle of his bed, Helios crossed his legs and rested the backs of his hands on his knees in a lotus position. He closed his eyes and as he reached out with his mind, his crystal horn began to glow.

"Mother?" he asked mentally.

"Helios! What a pleasant surprise!" came the thoughts of his mother, Candide. "I was wondering how long it would take for you to call."

"I talked to you only last week," the Dream Guardian replied.

"'Only last week'," Candide repeated sarcastically. "Clearly you had better things to do."

"Mother," Helios began.

"Why should you concern yourself? I only gave birth to you. I only raised you, alone, for all those years."

"Mother, I apologize," Helios sighed. "I was unaware of how much care and nurturing you were in need of."

"A mother misses her child," Candide thought to him. "It's our right as mothers."

"I shall attempt to do better," Helios assured her. "The reason I contacted you was to draw upon your experience. Are you familiar with the being known as Tsukuyomi?"

"Tsukuyomi," Candide turned the name over in her mind. "Oh, wasn't he the husband of the original Queen Serenity? The father of the current one?"

"And grandfather to my Maiden," Helios added. "What are your impressions of him?"

"By human standards?" Candide asked. "Benign more than benevolent. Very rooted in the past. Often quick to anger and always sorry later for the acts he commits during those fits of anger. It's managed to alienate him from just about everybody he cared for."

"I see," Helios nodded thoughtfully.

"It's sad, too, given what he's facing now," Candide added.

"What is he facing now?"

"You don't know?" Candide replied with surprise. "Oh dear, I thought you knew. Perhaps I shouldn't say - - well, I suppose it's all right if you know. But perhaps you should not pass the information along unless he approves."

"Of course I shall treat any information obtained through the dreaming as sacred," Helios assured her. "What does Tsukuyomi face?"

"He's dying, Helios."

* * *

"I really don't think this is a good idea, Serenity," Sailor Jupiter said to her.

Serenity and Jupiter walked through the section of the Promenade where the club had been attacked the evening before. Surrounding her, at a distance of twenty feet at the Queen's insistence, were Palace Security and CDP officers. Only Jupiter was allowed to be next to her. The swelling crowd of citizens, however, were another matter.

"Well Rei-Chan and Mina-Chan were working on the terrorist case and Ami-Chan was busy with her doctor duties," Serenity replied. "Besides, everything is peaceful now."

"They were shooting the place up just last night!" Jupiter gasped.

"And it's so tragic too, what happened," Serenity answered. A teen approached her, star struck. Jupiter and the guards tensed, but Serenity reached out and clasped the girl's hands. "Oh, my goodness! How are you? You're not cutting school, are you?"

The teen blushed and grew a pained expression.

"I wish I'd had the nerve to do that when I was your age," Serenity leaned in and whispered. "But seriously, you really need to study and make something of yourself. When I graduated, I was just a stupid little nobody," and her expression grew embarrassed, "um, until I became Queen . . . of course . . ."

"That's telling her," Jupiter smirked.

"Are you seeing anyone?" Serenity asked the girl.

"Um, no," she replied.

"Do you want me to fix you up?"

"Um, thanks for your kind words," Jupiter said quickly, injecting herself between Serenity and the teen. "Please visit the Palace if you want." She turned to the Queen. "Serenity, you can't . . .!"

But Serenity was already involved with a young boy who had run up to her. Kneeling, she got face to face with him and smiled.

"My but you're just the cutest thing!" the Queen gushed. A crowd had gathered. The boy's mother was about three feet away, beaming with pride.

"Are you really magic?" the boy asked in wonderment.

"I do a few tricks," Serenity said modestly. "But I can practice the strongest magic of all. And so can you."

"How?" gasped the boy.

"By filling your heart with love," Serenity told him. "By loving your friends, by loving people you don't even know, and even by loving people who treat you badly. Because if you fill your heart with enough love, that love can change how people act and how they treat you and others - - like magic." She got to her feet and addressed the crowd. "What happened here wasn't an act of love. But it can be defeated by an act of love. Whoever did this, whether they were angry or whether they thought they were calling attention to a grievance or just because they wanted to prove they could do it, was misled and misguided. They didn't understand the lasting harm violence does.

"We mustn't let this deter us from our path," she continued. "Loving and caring for each other, and even forgiving someone like this who did such terrible things to us, is the only way to lasting change and to the utopia I see for us. We've come so far. Acts like this mustn't dissuade us from striving toward our goal."

And she glided forward, reaching out as she did. When she was in reach, the people who had gathered reached out eagerly to touch her. Hands would jut out from between people and press against her arm or her gown as she clasped hands with someone and gave them a warm smile and a few words. Jupiter once more marveled at how Serenity could win over a crowd with just a look and a smile. At the same time, though, she kept a wary eye out for signs of trouble.

And then it came. Someone in the crowd just twenty feet ahead of Serenity pitched forward, their head jerking back. As he hit the pavement, another person jerked like she'd been struck. Three more in rapid succession pitched forward before Jupiter, Serenity, the guards and the crowd realized that something was happening. Panic rose exponentially and the crowd surged away from the area of the trouble. Jupiter moved toward Serenity while Serenity shielded a young woman with her own body.

"Nine Into Four!" shouted a scruffy young man. The crowd was surging away from him, for he was waving a Tellinger Chromium laser pistol. He took aim at one of the fleeing citizens.

"Please!" Serenity lunged forward before Jupiter could grab her. "There's no need for killing and violence! We can talk about whatever grievance you have!"

"Nine Into Four," the young man smiled and trained the pistol on Serenity.

Continued in Chapter 13


	13. Where And Who And Why

THE MOON KING  
Chapter 13: "Where and Who and Why"  
A Sailor Moon/Neo-Sailor Moon crossover fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

"Nine Into Four!" shouted a scruffy young man. The crowd was surging away from him, for he was waving a Tellinger Chromium laser pistol. He took aim at one of the fleeing citizens.

"Please!" Serenity lunged forward before Jupiter could grab her. "There's no need for killing and violence! We can talk about whatever grievance you have!"

"Nine Into Four," the young man smiled and trained the pistol on Serenity.

"No, no," Serenity said as if to a child. She waved her hand in a semi-circle. The youth pulled the trigger, but nothing came out. He pulled it again, then brought the pistol to him and stared at it in amazement. "Your weapon won't work anymore. I won't let you hurt anyone else."

"Sparkling Wide Pressure!" Jupiter snarled.

Electricity gathered in her hands, arced between them and then shot out, leaping at the youth. He had a moment to look before the electricity was on him, seizing his body and flailing it. The young man shook helplessly in the grip of the charge before it spent itself. Free of the grip of the bolt, the youth sank to his knees and slumped over, conscious but in a great deal of pain.

"Mako-Chan!" Serenity admonished her friend crossly.

"Just making sure," Jupiter responded, unrepentant.

The CDP closed in and began putting restraints on the would-be attacker. Serenity glided over and, against the warnings of the CDP officers to stay back, knelt down next to the youth. He managed to look up at her with bleary eyes. To the amazement of the crowd, who had stopped and watched once the attacker had been subdued, Serenity gently caressed his face.

"Why?" she asked him. "Why would you do something like this?"

"Nine Into Four," the young man wheezed, shaking his head. "It's a kick."

"I don't understand. What's a 'kick'? Killing?"

"You don't understand," he chuckled, pleased that he knew something she didn't. "And you never will. Nobody in this artificial paradise will."

"Make me understand," Serenity pleaded. "I'm willing to listen."

But he said no more. After a few moments, the two officers holding him hauled him to his feet. He grinned at Serenity, grinned at her like he had won. As Serenity stared at him, trying to comprehend him, Jupiter loomed behind her, glaring at the youth with unconcealed disdain and menace.

Then something unseen flew past Serenity's left ear, disturbing some of the hairs in her hair trail. The captive assailant was ripped from the grip of the two CDP officers and thrown to the ground. Everyone turned to look. Serenity's hands went to her mouth.

An arrow stuck out of the chest of the youth. A look of incredible surprise was etched on his face - - etched in death.

When Serenity and Jupiter got back to the palace, there was a sizable gathering waiting for them. Endymion and Usa were there, along with Ami, Rei, Minako and Luna. Naturally Endymion got to her first, taking her by the upper arms and pulling her close to him.

"I'm all right, Endymion," she smiled. It didn't seem to mollify his intensely fearful look, but he didn't say anything. Noticing Usa, Serenity reached out for her. Usa reached back and they clasped hands.

"Are you out of your mind?" roared Rei.

"I told her," sighed Jupiter as she reverted back to Makoto.

"Rei, I'm ALL RIGHT!" fumed the Queen.

"Thanks to Jupiter, no doubt!" hissed the priest.

"Actually, she handled it," Makoto reported. "Once we knew he was there, he didn't stand a chance. It was almost like he didn't care if he was caught."

"An interesting analysis," Ami remarked. "I wonder if Chief Nakamura would consent to my interviewing him."

"Never mind that now! What about those poor people who were hurt?" Serenity gasped.

Ami pulled up a PDA and swiped a few screens. "Three are severely injured and are undergoing treatment. It's too soon to tell on a prognosis for survival." She paused. "The other two died of their injuries."

Immediately everyone could feel the pall that fell over the palace lobby. Serenity was genuinely upset by the news and her emotions were telepathically seeping into everyone else. Their hearts ached because hers ached.

"Luna, please locate the families of the victims and find out when it would be a good time to visit them," Serenity softly requested.

"At once, Your Majesty," Luna replied and hurried off.

"Mom, don't worry," Usa said. "We're going to find out who these people are and what they want. And we're going to put a stop to them."

"I know you will," Serenity smiled weakly. "I have every confidence in you. I just pray that it will be soon."

With that, the Queen allowed Endymion to escort her away. The others were about to break up, but Makoto stopped them.

"Um, Ames, I wouldn't bother calling Nakamura about that interview," Makoto ventured. The others stopped and listened. "Our guy's dead. He got nailed right in the chest by an arrow."

"Just like the club!" Usa exclaimed, perking up. "Suppose it's the person behind all of this, making sure his subordinates can't talk if they're captured?"

"Perhaps," Ami replied thoughtfully. "Or perhaps there's a vigilante out there with a grievance against this 'Nine Into Four' group. A relative of one of the victims, perhaps, or someone outraged enough by the group's actions that he's taken the law into his own hands."

"Yeah," Minako nodded. "Might help if we could figure out what this 'Nine Into Four' stands for. I kind of doubt we're dealing with an enraged group of math nerds."

"I'll keep researching," Rei told them, "provided I can concentrate. Honestly, I just want to strangle that woman sometimes!"

"Sounds like true love to me," Minako mocked, elbowing Makoto in the ribs.

"There you go, calling a deer a horse again," Rei scowled. She gave Minako a momentary glare, then swept off toward the shrine. Makoto and Minako both looked mystified, but Ami began struggling to keep from laughing.

"Did she just insult me?" Minako asked. "She just insulted me, didn't she?"

"I'm not getting in the middle of this," Ami said and walked off. As she neared the elevator, they could see her shoulders trembling from suppressed laughter.

All except for Usa; she was lost in an inspiration blooming within her mind.

* * *

"My Lady?" Diana inquired as she ventured into the private bedroom of the Princess. Nobody entered that room without permission, though her parents ventured in from time to time without seeking permission. Only one being had that sort of permission: Diana. "Are you well, My Lady? Or are you off on another obsessive line of inquiry?"

Usa didn't respond. But she did dangle her fingers near the floor and wiggle them. Diana took the invitation and rubbed up against them. Sufficiently attention-sated, Diana leaped up onto the bed and peered onto the teen's computer screen.

"Ancient etymology, My Lady?" Diana asked.

"Something Aunt Rei said to Aunt Minako," Usa mumbled, partially tearing herself away from the computer screen. "She said Aunt Minako was 'calling a deer a horse again'."

Diana considered that for a moment. "I don't follow."

"The origin of the word 'baka'," Usa replied, smiling to herself. "It's from an old story about a court official who brought a deer before the Emperor and called it a horse to test the loyalty of the other officials. The officials who agreed with the Emperor when he declared it a deer were loyal. The ones trying to court the official's favor agreed it was a horse, ultimately making fools of themselves." She glanced at Diana. "I'm not surprised Aunt Minako didn't get it. It's pretty deep."

"Shouldn't you be investigating this Nine Into Four business?" Diana asked. "Or preparing for your visit with Tsukuyomi?"

"Ancient meanings of words, Diana," Usa told her. "Who says that isn't what Nine Into Four means? If we take it literally, it means point four four four. But four has other meanings in Japanese history."

"Oh?"

"Four has always been considered an unlucky number in Japanese superstitions, because the Japanese kanji for 'four' is pronounced 'shi', and closely resembles the kanji for the word 'death'. Now people aren't as superstitious as they were say fifteen hundred years ago, but that superstition still lingers in the weirdest places."

"So 'Nine Into Four' could mean 'death three times over'?"

"Not necessarily," Usa shook her head. "It's an infinite fraction. I just shortened it to three decimal places. And there's the decimal itself. They could have just said 'Four Becomes Twelve" if they meant 'Death Three Times Over'."

"But what of nine? Isn't nine considered a lucky number?" Diana asked.

"Depends on the pronunciation," Usa replied, her eyes gleaming with the chance to pass on newly discovered knowledge. "If you pronounce it 'kyu', it's lucky. If you pronounce it 'ku', then it sounds like the Japanese word for agony."

"'Agony Into Death'?" Diana frowned. "How utterly gruesome. You honestly think this is them naming their intentions?"

"It fits their method of operation so far," Usa remarked. "The 'agony' of not knowing where they'll strike next and the 'agony' of suddenly disrupting safe lives, then delivering 'death' onto those lives."

"But to what end, My Lady?"

"Don't know yet," Usa scowled. "Maybe it's a feint to occupy CDP's attention while the person behind this strikes their real objective."

"And the arrows?"

"I'm not sure the arrows are connected to the group," Usa concluded. "They only appeared in the last two incidents. I think there's a vigilante of some sort taking revenge on these people. Why, I don't know. Maybe we can get more information tonight."

"Tonight, My Lady? Are you going out in search of these people?"

"Just as soon as I talk my theories over with Pop and the Elders," Usa nodded. "Fighting stuff like this is why I'm Sailor Moon. And if we're proactive about it, maybe we can stop the next attack before someone gets hurt."

"You feel there will be another attack then?"

"Yeah. They haven't gotten what they want, whatever that is," Usa said. "It might not be tonight. They might lay low for a while now that our mystery archer is stalking them. But I don't want to take that risk."

"Very well. I shall alert the Asteroids to stand ready," Diana announced. Usa flashed her a quick thumbs up and then disappeared out the door.

* * *

Attendance was down in The Promenade that night. The recent attacks had kept some residents of Crystal Tokyo safe in their homes. For the others brave enough or foolhardy enough to venture out, the sight of two winged horses flying overhead was a welcome sight.

"Wave to your fans, Maiden," Pegasus thought to Sailor Moon as he soared over the entertainment district, his love astride his back.

"Don't tease," she whispered in his ear as she playfully swatted him on his shoulder. "They're just glad Sailor Moon is looking out for them."

"Princess!" Sailor Juno called out from astride Vesta, who was in winged horse form and carrying the other three Asteroids. "How about we split up and take each end of The Promenade? We can meet back over Naru Park!"

"Sounds like a plan!" Sailor Moon called back. Juno nodded, then whispered instructions to Vesta. Vesta banked right and soared away over the east end of The Promenade. Pallas's joyous cackles echoed behind them.

"Do you have some idea as to what you expect these people to look like?" Pegasus thought to her.

"Only vaguely," Sailor Moon replied. "All I can do is look around for anyone who looks young and disconnected - - you know, your stereotypical 'dropout'. Everyone who has been identified as being affiliated with 'Nine Into Four' fit the general profile of 'dropout'." She grinned suddenly. "Of course, the crowd suddenly running in panic would be a huge clue, too."

"No doubt," Pegasus thought back.

The pair, a beautiful and rapidly maturing pink Senshi astride a gloriously majestic winged white horse, caught the eye of more people below. Pegasus swooped over the west end of The Promenade, skimming just fifteen feet off of the street and then soaring up five stories in the air. Sailor Moon surveyed the ground below as they whizzed past an observation drone. After a while, she noticed a calm within her. More than a calm; it was a serenity. Guarding the people of Crystal Tokyo, in search of menaces to vanquish, with her friends by her side and Pegasus beneath her, she came to a realization that this was what she was meant to do and that everything else was just idle distractions.

"Maiden," Pegasus thought to her and she snapped out of her epiphany. "Have you given any thought as to when you might like to meet with your grandfather?"

"Not really," she responded. "I've been kind of busy with this whole 'Nine Into Four' thing. I mean I am curious about him. But this is really more important."

"And yet you cannot spend your every waking moment on this problem," Pegasus thought back. "If you will pardon an unflattering observation, you do have a tendency to obsess from time to time."

"It's a good thing you're cute," Sailor Moon mumbled, her mouth screwed into a cynical smirk.

"I say this only because I love you, Maiden," Pegasus responded. "Perhaps you can spare a few hours to satiate your curiosity in this matter?"

"I guess I could," she admitted. "Why is this so important?"

"I," Pegasus thought, "do not wish you to miss out on what could be an interesting experience."

"'Interesting experience'," muttered the Princess. "I don't know, Helios. On the one hand, he seemed nice. But that doesn't jibe with his history. Which one do I believe?"

"Believe them both, Maiden, as two sides of the same coin. As I recall, your mother was willing to forgive him. It was he who could not forgive. Perhaps with the passage of time he has found that ability."

"Yeah. Maybe." They flew on. "OK, if I'm not too busy in a few days, I'll talk to him. But only if you're there. Now, do you see anything down there?"

"Only people who adore you almost as much as I, Maiden," Pegasus thought to her.

"Give me a break," Sailor Moon said, rolling her eyes. But she couldn't quite force the smile from her lips.

* * *

The proprietor of the coffee shop looked over at the group in the far booth. Young men and women in their early twenties, unmindful of social conventions and dressed as if to advertise their separate status. They were clearly "dropouts", members of Japanese society who rejected societal obligation in favor of personal freedom. He had another term for them, though: dead beats. They would occupy space in his shop for hours on end talking, playing with their handheld computers and buying just enough to keep him from running them out. It was a game to them. It didn't matter to them how it might affect the enjoyment of his other customers or his business in general. The proprietor expelled a frustrated breath and turned to cleaning the coffee dispensers.

"So are we going to have another go?" one of the youths asked impatiently.

"Nah," grunted another, a youth of twenty with unruly black hair, a lean body and dour features.

"Why not?" bristled the first. "You chicken?"

"You want an arrow in your chest?" another of the group asked. "The King and Queen aren't playing around anymore!"

"Bawk bawk," replied the first.

"Go if you're so eager to die," sneered the second. "Sailor Moon and her Senshi are patrolling, along with the CDP. You try tonight, you'll end up in detention or meeting your ancestors."

"So you're going to let the crown bully us?"

"I'm going to play it smart," the gaunt youth replied. "The government is expecting another attack at night on The Promenade. The smart thing is to not attack when and where they expect."

"Go on," the first one said.

"All our attacks have been at night," the second continued, "except for Kentaro turning out the Queen herself."

"Kentaro had balls," one of the group nodded.

"Kentaro's also dead," the gaunt one reminded them. "He had the advantage and didn't press it. We follow his lead and we'll be walking right into the crown's hands."

"So what do we do?" one of the women asked.

"We chill out for a few days," he smiled. "Make them think they've won."

"The Queen kills one of our own and we just let it happen?" the first one bristled.

"Oh she'll get hers," the gaunt one said confidently. "But we have to make her suffer first." He smirked at everyone. "Remember, Nine Into Four."

"Nine Into Four," they murmured in return.

Continued in Chapter 14


	14. Emotional Baggage

THE MOON KING  
Chapter 14: "Emotional Baggage"  
A Sailor Moon/Neo-Sailor Moon crossover fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

"Hey, Mom, Pop," Usa said as she breezed into the dining area of the Royal Chambers.

Endymion was seated next to a high chair for little Mamoko. His breakfast was already finished and he was feeding the child. The child looked eagerly at the food and consumed it heartily whenever Endymion brought a spoon to her mouth. Serenity, as usual, was hovering over her plate in a semi-conscious state, trying to feed herself without opening her eyes. Strands of blonde hair dangled into her face and there was a streak of food on her left cheek.

"Usa? Wuzzat Usa?" the Queen mumbled, turning blindly toward the voice.

"Morning, Mamoko," the teen chirped, nuzzling her baby sister. Mamoko turned her attention away from breakfast and stared up at the pink teen, enthralled.

"Another quiet night last night?" Endymion asked.

"Yeah, everything was peaceful," Usa told him. "Wish I knew whether we've put a stop to that whole 'Nine Into Four' stuff or if they're just laying low. The patrols are getting us nowhere, but I hate to discontinue them and then have something happen."

"Maybe they've seen the error of their ways," Serenity mumbled sleepily. "Anyway, since it's quiet, maybe you can take time to talk to your grandfather now."

"Serenity," Endymion began.

"Now, Endymion, we talked about this," fussed the Queen. "I know he's made some mistakes in judgement in the past, but I don't think he's a threat. And it's good that he's finally willing to talk to someone. I know he won't talk to me . . ."

"I'm with Mom on this," Usa added. "I know you're worried, Pop. And I know he gave you reason to worry. But Helios thinks he's on the level and that's good enough for me. I just wanted to let you know that I'll be meeting with him today. And yes, it'll be here in the palace."

"Well thank you for that," Endymion sighed as he offered up a spoonful of food to Mamoko. "I'll trust your judgement on this, Honey. But I'm going to be watching."

"Figured you would," Usa said. She bent in and kissed Endymion on the cheek. "Just watch, OK, Pop? Don't freak out on me." She crossed over and kissed her mother on the cheek.

"I hope the meeting is everything you hope it will be, Dear," Serenity said, her eyes still unable to open. She turned and stabbed at her meal. "Where's my bowl?"

Out in the outer chamber, Usa passed Luna on her way to the dining hall and breakfast with her friends. But she stopped when the cat spoke up.

"My Lady," Luna began. "I understand that I can't talk you out of this. In fact, I'm not that certain that I should. But please be cautious. I don't question his intentions and to my knowledge Tsukuyomi was never thought of as deceitful. But he has always possessed a rash side. Combine that with a sense of pride that prevents him from realizing when he's gone too far and you have a recipe for a potentially dangerous situation. Don't become so enamored by what he represents that you fail to see what he is."

"Don't worry. Helios will be there. He'll keep me grounded," Usa smiled. Once she was out the door, Luna continued on to the inner chambers. But she couldn't help worrying that the seeds of disaster were lurking in this meeting.

* * *

Yutaka walked into the infirmary with the anticipation of seeing Hotaro again. The seventeen year old youth, his black hair longer and growing over one eye, his wiry frame beginning to fill out with maturity, had taken time off from his on-line college engineering studies to look in on Hotaru since her hospitalization. He didn't have the time to spare, as his last test had shown, but he made the time. The degree might be his future, but Hotaru was his everything and if it came down to a choice between them . . .

In the room with Hotaru was Jotaro, her physical therapist. Yutaka immediately darkened. Hotaru was face down on a table next to her bed and Jotaro was massaging her legs - - her bare legs. Yutaka had told himself over and over again that it was important therapy for Hotaru's return to health. That it was just part of her recovery and that Hotaru didn't have any attachment to it or to Jotaro. That it was just a job to Jotaro to run his thick hands up and down her soft, silky calves and thighs. But that part of his mind seemed to be at constant war with the irrational voice in his head that wanted him to knock Jotaro down and loudly proclaim that Hotaru loved him and not Jotaro.

The contented smile on Hotaru's face didn't help.

"Hello, Yutaka," Jotaro smiled innocently. "I'll be done with her in a few minutes."

"Yutaka?" Hotaru asked, twisting her head to see him. "I did a whole kilometer on the treadmill today! Isn't that wonderful?"

"Yeah," Yutaka replied, forcing a smile on his lips. "See, you'll be up and around in no time."

"I keep telling her that," Jotaro chuckled as he kneaded her calves. "Maybe she'll listen to you."

Right on cue Hotaru blushed. Yutaka suddenly found himself longing to be in Jotaro's place, to be the one massaging her legs and bringing that contented smile to her face.

"OK, we're done," Jotaro announced. "Need help getting off the table or do you want to try it?"

"Let me try," Hotaru said eagerly.

She shifted on the table so she was on her side, her gown riding dangerously up her hip. Pushing up to a sitting position was hard. Her arm trembled with the exertion. But she was determined to do it without the gravity belt. When she finally made it, Hotaru scooted off the table and onto the floor. For a moment it looked like her legs would buckle. Jotaro moved in to catch her, but Yutaka made it there first. Without protest, Jotaro backed off. With Yutaka ready to catch her, Hotaro shifted on her feet and sat on the bed, then pulled her legs up.

"See you tomorrow, Tomoe-San," Jotaro chirped, wheeling the table out of the room. Yutaka took the chair next to Hotaru's bed.

"He's so nice," Hotaru grinned. Yutaka bit his tongue, but Hotaru noticed his scowl. "Yutaka? What's wrong?"

He looked at her for a moment and to her he seemed like a wounded puppy.

"Nothing," he murmured.

And Hotaru began to wonder if her Yutaka was beginning to have second thoughts about being in love with a frail, sickly girl like her.

* * *

Usa and Helios waited in the library of the Crystal Palace. The library was a large room adjacent to the entrance foyer of the palace. It was a large room containing catalogued memory crystals, with players, of a sizable portion of the world's current literature, as well as some classics. The room was decorated with comfortable chairs and some art that had been donated to the Royal Couple over the centuries. Normally the library was open to all, but on this occasion it was closed for the personal use of The Princess.

"You seem nervous, Maiden," Helios observed.

"Yeah, how about that?" she responded. "All the trouble I've faced down and THIS makes me nervous. I mean, what if he hasn't changed? What if I don't like him? What if he doesn't like me? What if he does something wrong and Pop freaks?"

"If he has any sense at all, he will adore you as everyone else does," Helios assured her. "My advice would be to not project expectations upon him. Take him as he is and judge him from that perspective. It isn't necessary that you like him. It's only necessary that you not decide whether you like him before you meet him."

"Yeah," Usa exhaled. "OK, here goes. Tsukuyomi? Are you available?" A moment passed. "Are you even listening?"

"Of course," the stumpy, barrel-chested being replied. He materialized in the room inside of a brilliant flash of light. When the light dissipated, he stood there. His bow was slung over his shoulder and his two swords were tucked into his sash. "I am grateful, child, that you consented to meet with me."

"It's OK," Usa assured him. "And how about you call me 'Usa' instead of child?"

"I meant no slight," Tsukuyomi ventured carefully. "While you may seem to be still a child to me compared to my life span, I acknowledge that you are far from a child. Forgive me if I gave offense." She nodded. "But what kind of a name is 'Usa'? Your actual name is Usagi. It's a fine name."

"My Mom was Usagi," Usa explained. "I'm not her, so I'm not going to go by her name."

"Is this rebellious streak hereditary?" Tsukuyomi wondered aloud. "Well, if it makes you happy . . ."

"It does," Usa responded. "And should I call you Tsukuyomi or Ojii-San?"

"I will respond to either," he said. Then he glanced at Helios.

"This is my fiancé, Helios," Usa said quickly. "I asked him to sit in. And I thought you might want to meet him."

"I am pleased to meet you in person," Helios responded and bowed formally.

"Though this is the first time we have met in person, I do know of you, Dream Guardian," Tsukuyomi nodded. He turned to Usa and smiled. "I approve. He is a being most worthy of you. You demonstrate better taste than your mother."

"Well thanks, I think," Usa sighed. "You still don't think much of humanity, even after all of these centuries?"

"I will grant that they have made some progress," he admitted, "due mostly to the influence of my daughter. I still feel that it's a waste of her potential. There is so much more that she could do. Still, her efforts have had one effect that is quite positive."

"Oh?"

"She created you," he smiled. Usa gave him an expectant cocked eyebrow. "With some help from the Earth Prince."

"Thank you," Usa replied.

"Usa, I know so little about you," Tsukuyomi said earnestly. "Do you have some time? I would like to hear about your life, if you don't mind."

"Um, I guess," the teen said uncertainly. "What do you want to know?"

"As much as you wish to tell me," Tsukuyomi told her. "And if you wish, for indulging an old man, you may then ask me anything and I will try to satisfy you with my answer."

"OK," Usa said. She gestured to some chairs. "Sit down. This may take a while. Hope I don't bore you."

"I doubt you could," Tsukuyomi said, and Usa seemed to detect a genuine curiosity in him, as well as a hope that they could be something more than strangers connected by blood.

* * *

From his computer room, Endymion watched the conversation on one of his many monitors. The entire meeting was being transmitted to him from one of the security surveillance cameras in the library. The monarch watched every move Tsukuyomi made with an intensity of someone expecting trouble, and he hung on every word the being uttered in search of some clue of hostile intent. The only thing that distracted him was the hiss of the door to the room. Endymion glanced back at it and saw his wife entering.

"You know," the Queen remarked with amusement, "some people in this palace consider you a Peeping Tom."

"I don't know why," Endymion replied, returning his gaze to the monitor. "My name isn't Tom."

Serenity came up behind him. She leaned over the back of his chair, draped her arms over his shoulders and rested her chin on the top of his head.

"I'm not obsessing. I'm cautious," he said.

"I know," Serenity told him.

"She's my little girl," Endymion continued as he watched. "I don't want anything to happen to her."

"Consider who you're talking to," Serenity smiled. "I'm the one who gets barked at because I remind her to take her toothbrush on trips." They watched in silence. "You still haven't forgiven him, have you?"

"Not trusting him is not the same as not forgiving him," Endymion argued. "I accept that he realizes that trying to force you to become his doting daughter was wrong. But he hasn't changed as much as I'd like. You should have heard him earlier talking about humans. He still looks down on us - - the way we would look down on a chimp."

"And that irritates you," Serenity surmised. "Endymion, understanding power and ability doesn't make you above another is a difficult lesson for a lot of people to realize and even more difficult to practice. We can only try to enlighten him. We can't make him see. And we can only forgive him when he can't see. Otherwise we cut off the means to make him see and condemn ourselves to live in fractured darkness rather than harmonious light."

Endymion grasped her hand and kissed it, even as he stared at the monitor. "Very eloquent, my love."

"Wish Rei had been here to hear that. She wouldn't be so quick to call me a ditz." They studied the monitor some more. "Oh, Endymion, she's just so charming when she wants to be! Oto-San is just enthralled by her!"

"She's got the makings of a first rate queen, no doubt," Endymion nodded proudly. "I just wonder if she'll accept it when the time comes."

"What do you mean?"

"She's Sailor Moon," Endymion explained, "and she likes being Sailor Moon. When you were Sailor Moon, it always seemed like a duty, or a means to an end. Our daughter genuinely likes being Sailor Moon. And I'm not sure she'll be able to give it up if the time comes. If it comes down to a choice between being Queen and being Sailor Moon . . ."

Serenity's brow furrowed as she watched the monitor.

* * *

". . .and after borrowing the energy from my Senshi, I used the crystal to modify the cellular structure of the creatures so they weren't harmful to the planet's environment anymore," Usa related, showing a little more pride in her accomplishment than she thought she would.

"A very ingenious use of your crystal," Tsukuyomi concluded. "And it's a solution I certainly wouldn't have thought of. Wouldn't it have been easier to just destroy the creatures?"

"I suppose," Usa shrugged. "But we don't have the right to annihilate another species just because it's the easy way to solve a problem, or because we have the power to do it."

"Our power gives us the right," he countered.

"No, it doesn't, Ojii-San," Usa argued. "If anything, our power obligates us to find ways to protect other species, because we're the only ones who can."

"Even if that species could kill you, either intentionally or by their simple existence?"

"Yes!" she gasped. "Killing becomes easier the more you do it. So does not caring. If you're really from the advanced race you claim to be from, you'd know that!"

Helios glanced at Tsukuyomi, expecting Usa's aggressive tone to have at least put the being on the defensive. Instead he found the bowling ball head bore a sentimental smile. That confused him for a moment.

"How many centuries was it that I had this same debate with Asishe?" he chuckled. "You have his same passion. The philosophy itself must breed such vehemence. Either that or my Serenity passed down the philosophy through the generations. She felt the same way you do." His smile dimmed. "Funny - - it seemed more contemptuous when she argued the point. Maybe it was me."

"I never met her, Ojii-San," Usa ventured. "What was she like?"

"Nothing like your mother," Tsukuyomi replied. There was a pain of sadness in his eyes as he recalled. "She was very serious, very dedicated to her beliefs. When she seized upon an idea, she was very driven to see it to fruition." He seemed to focus on his surroundings again. "There's a little of her in you. Your mother is almost too gentle for her own good - - at least in my opinion. You're more of a leader, more of a doer."

"She hasn't done so badly for herself," Usa countered.

"Well, she has gotten results," he shrugged. "Maybe she could have achieved this sooner if she had a little bit more of her actual parents in her and not her adoptive parents. She's so reluctant to use her gifts to lead these - - creatures - - to a better place."

"Maybe that's a good thing," Usa suggested. "Using superior power can be like killing: If it becomes too easy, you're more likely to abuse it."

Tsukuyomi stared at the girl for an uncomfortable time. But slowly a smile began to sprout on his face.

"My, but there's a lot of my Serenity in you," he marveled. "Maybe I was on the wrong side. Maybe my life would have been a lot different if I had some of your wisdom. How did one as young as you get to be so wise?"

"I had a lot of good teachers," Usa shrugged, then grinned self-consciously. "A lot of PATIENT teachers. It took a while, but I finally decided to listen and . . ."

Just then the emergency alarm buzzed on her Senshi Communicator. Usa popped the face open and read the message.

"It's Nine Into Four!" Usa exclaimed. "They struck again!" She turned to Tsukuyomi. "I have to deal with this. I'm sorry, but I've got to cut this short! But I'd like to pick this up again some time. You're not as bad as Pop painted you to be."

"You do what you must, Usa," he nodded. "And don't fear; I will be watching over you."

"OK," Usa replied with some confusion. That dissipated quickly and she and Helios headed out of the room. Tsukuyomi watched her until she was gone, then disappeared in a burst of light.

Continued in Chapter 15


	15. Escalating Tensions

THE MOON KING  
Chapter 15: "Escalating Tensions"  
A Sailor Moon/Neo-Sailor Moon crossover fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

Sailor Moon and Helios exited onto the aeropad atop the Crystal Palace at a full run. The Princess had transformed on her way from the library. Waiting for her were four of her five Senshi. For a moment, Sailor Moon felt a pang for the missing Sailor Saturn, then shunted it aside.

"What's the plan?" Vesta asked. The others looked at her intently.

"You and Helios transform into winged horses," Sailor Moon outlined. "Then we ride in like valkyries and scare the crap out of them." Instantly Helios transformed into his Pegasus form.

"Valkyries?" Vesta asked in confusion. She turned to Ceres and Juno and got mystified shrugs in return.

"You guys need to start paying more attention in Ancient Civilizations class," Sailor Moon muttered.

As Vesta transformed into her own winged horse form, Sailor Moon and Pegasus lifted off into the sky. Quickly the two winged equines were speeding over Crystal Tokyo toward the residential south side. The report had been chilling when first received: Three armed people with hoods over their heads had taken command of a local elementary school, herding students and teachers into the gymnasium. There they threatened to shoot ten students an hour, or blow everybody up should the CDP intercede.

"Over on your left, Princess!" Vesta shouted. She was carrying Ceres, Juno and Pallas and was on Sailor Moon's left.

Sailor Moon glanced over and immediately concluded a "valkyrie" attack would be a dangerous gamble. The elementary was surrounded on all sides of the building by CDP hovercars. Security drones were at even intervals to give those in command three hundred sixty degree visual observation. Four CDP air cars circled above. And behind the CDP were thousands of civilians surging against barricade energy fields. They were a mixture of terrified parents, concern citizens who couldn't imagine such a thing happening in Crystal Tokyo, and a few who actually found it entertaining.

And surging from one of the cars was a familiar blonde in a white gown.

"Damn it!" cursed Sailor Moon. She urged Pegasus down and the equine set down on the street right in Queen Serenity's path. Sailor Moon dismounted like lightning and grabbed her mother by the upper arms.

"Honey, get out of the way!" pleaded Serenity. "I have to . . .!"

"NO, MOM!" the Princess replied emphatically. "You can't! It's too dangerous!"

"But I . . .!"

"Let the CDP and me handle it!"

"But . . .!"

"Mamoko needs you alive!"

Serenity flinched like she'd been slapped. Her watery blue eyes once more dredged up the guilt feelings she could so easily conjure up. But Sailor Moon stood firm. And Endymion came over to collect his wife.

"She's right, Dear," Endymion whispered to her. Serenity surrendered and allow Endymion to pull her back.

By now the Asteroids had landed and were gathered around Sailor Moon. She turned to the CDP commander.

"What's the situation?" she asked.

"Three suspects armed with laser pistols and one automatic rifle," the CDP commander reported. "The rifle is an old style launcher that fires explosive C4 shells. Plus they claim to have explosive packs on their belts, but that isn't confirmed. Hostages number about two hundred."

"What are their demands?"

"They haven't made any." Sailor Moon looked at him with surprise and confusion. "No demands. Just threats."

"That doesn't make any sense!" Ceres exclaimed.

"Almost like this is a show for our benefit," Sailor Moon mumbled. "Are there any reports from anywhere else in the city?"

"Nothing major," the commander reported. "Just the usual traffic stops and domestic disputes." He hardened. "Sailor Moon, we have the situation under control. The odds of them actually following through with their threat to start killing hostages is minimal."

"I'd rather not take that chance," Sailor Moon responded. "Let's see if we can get this diffused before then. Vesta, get up to that window overlooking the interior of the gym. I want to know everything that's going on in there. Do not engage! This is reconnaissance only."

"On it. Fauna Assimilation, Black Crow!" Vesta shouted. She transformed into a large black crow and flew up to the window near the roof of the gym.

"Pallas, see if you can pick up what those three suspects are thinking in there," Sailor Moon ordered. "Anything you can pick up. Just do your best."

"Pallas will, Princess," Pallas nodded. She jammed her eyes shut and started concentrating.

"We might need an instant means of access and they'll be watching the doors," Sailor Moon mused. "Juno, can you rupture the water pipes that are in one of those walls and blow a hole in the wall?"

"If I can build up enough water pressure in the pipes," Juno nodded.

"Get started. Wait for my signal if you can." She turned to Ceres. "You'll be with me if that wall blows. We need to get in, locate the three with the hoods and disable them quickly, before they can start firing on us or on the kids."

Ceres pulled a pouch of seeds from her fuku and took a nervous breath. "I'll be ready."

Sailor Moon nodded and pulled up her communicator. "Vesta, what's the situation?"

"Three figures in hoods and body armor," Vesta the crow transmitted back. "The kids and teachers are all sitting on the floor in a big circle. Bad guys are spread out along the rim of the circle - - northwest corner, northeast corner, southeast corner." There was a moment of silence. "The one with the launcher has a transmission interceptor! We've been made!"

"Damn it, I didn't think of that!" Sailor Moon cursed. "Juno, blow the wall! Vesta, get down here! Pallas, you're with Ceres and me!"

"Floral Animation!" Ceres shouted. Within moments there were a dozen plant humanoids backing her up.

The wall of the school gym exploded outward, sending dust, building material and water flying at the CDP line. Taking a moment for the debris to land, Sailor Moon charged through the hole, followed closely by Ceres, Pallas and Helios.

"Find the ones with hoods and take them down!" Sailor Moon shouted to her troops. "Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss!"

Pink energy flooded the room. The wails of crying children began to dim. The three armored intruders holding them turned, but their reactions were slowed by the euphoria they were feeling.

"Beautiful Incantation!" Pallas shouted. An invisible hand slapped the pistol from one of the hostage takers, then clamped around the person's torso. Ceres' plant humanoids stormed the nearest suspect. He got off two laser blasts, cutting two of the humanoids down, before he was swarmed by the humanoids and taken down.

The third one whirled on them and brought the launcher to bear. But Helios stepped forward. His crystal horn began to glow. Then a golden beam lanced out from it and struck the launcher. The man dropped it immediately. By the time it hit the floor, the launcher caught fire, fueled by the C4 cartridges. At the direction of Juno, a globe of water flew over and engulfed the remains of the launcher, squelching the fire.

Spooked, the man turned and began to run for a nearby exit. But he was felled when Sailor Moon launched herself over several awestruck children and planted a flying kick directly in his back.

As CDP moved in and evacuated the children and teachers, the Senshi assembled the three perpetrators. Pallas and Ceres still had two, while Vesta, in python form, held the one Sailor Moon had dropped. As Endymion and Serenity swept in, Sailor Moon had removed their hoods, revealing them to be three young people around twenty, two men and a woman, all looking like stereotypical "dropouts".

"You were wonderful, Honey," Serenity said, hugging Sailor Moon in front of everyone. She turned to the captives. "Why would you do this?"

The three captives remained silent and contemptuous.

"It was a trap!" Pallas said suddenly, surprised by what she read. "They wanted to kill Queen Serenity!"

Serenity turned to them. "Is this true? What have I done that would inspire such a terrible response?"

"Ataru Genshinko! Wataru Ainaru!" snarled the one Vesta held. Serenity just seemed confused.

"Those are the names of the two terrorists who were killed by those arrows," Sailor Moon said, recognizing the names.

"By YOUR arrows!" he spat. "Killed in YOUR name, Queen Serenity!"

"I would never do such a thing!" gasped Serenity.

"We were just having fun!" the captive continued. "You're the one who upped the level of this! We will now destroy you! For Ataru! For Wataru!"

"We'll take them into custody," one of the CDP told the Royal Family. The Senshi released the three suspects into CDP hands.

But the loud one broke free and ran toward the hole. He turned and pointed a device in his hand at the King and Queen.

"For Ataru!" he shouted. The man was still waiving a device in his hand, possibly a detonator. Serenity's hand shot out and she enclosed the detonator in an energy bubble around his hand.

Then an arrow appeared from nowhere and pierced the man's chest through his back, and through his armor. The suspect pitched forward and fell dead. Sailor Moon was the first to get to him. She took a second to check him, then looked out through the hole in the wall along the trajectory of the arrow.

"Ojii-San?" she gasped.

* * *

In the infirmary of the Crystal Palace, Hotaru had been glued to the live streams of the incident at the elementary school. It thrilled her to see Sailor Moon and the Asteroid Senshi in action, and at the same time she worried about something happening to them because she wasn't there.

Because she was sick - - again. With the capture of the people holding the students and teachers hostage, Hotaru's attention drifted away. Why did it have to be this way? Why was she never strong enough, never good enough?

"Good evening, Hotaru," Michiru said, entering the room. She was carrying a vase of flowers. "I brought you these. Hopefully it will cheer up this stuffy little room and make you feel better. A little color in the room may do wonders for your disposition."

"Thank you, Mama," Hotaru replied, barely seeing them. Michiru put them on a nearby counter and sat down next to Hotaru's bed.

"You seem a little down," Michiru observed. She glanced at the video stream. "Missing being with Usa and the girls?"

"Yes."

"You know it will happen, don't you? That you'll get better? Ami says you're making excellent progress. It may seem like a long journey now, but you'll be up and around soon. And then Sailor Saturn will be fighting by the side of her Princess and her friend."

"Until it happens again," Hotaru replied glumly.

"What makes you think it will happen again?" Michiru asked. Her tone was sympathetic, but controlled.

"It always happens again," Hotaru sighed. "Every time I start to accomplish something with my life, my body gives out."

"You just have to keep trying."

"I'm tired of trying," Hotaru moaned. "What's the point of trying, if . . ." and her voice trailed off.

"Because we need you," Michiru offered simply. "Your Papa and I, we need you. And Usa needs you, not just as Sailor Saturn, but as her 'bestest bud'. The Asteroids need you. Yutaka needs you. Why, everybody in the palace would be devastated if you gave up. And I don't think you'd be doing yourself any favors, either."

At the mention of Yutaka's name, Hotaru had turned away.

"I know it's hard," Michiru continued. "The physical therapy I underwent after you rescued me from that mine was not pleasant. But I did it, because I had an obligation, to you and Haruka, to the King and Queen and all the Senshi. Most of all, I had an obligation to myself." She grasped Hotaru's hand and the teen looked back at her. "Hotaru, I know you have the strength within you to do this. I know because you've done it before. Please do it again. For your own sake as well as everyone else, please do it again."

A deep, resigned sigh escaped the slim teen.

"All right, I'll try," Hotaru gave in. "I'll try. But it'll happen again."

"If it does, you won't face it alone," Michiru offered.

* * *

"Sailor Moon?" Juno asked. Sailor Moon acknowledged none of it. She marched at a steady, determined pace toward Tsukuyomi. The bow was still in his hand.

"Usa, don't!" Serenity called out. Sailor Moon was having none of it. As she marched, she walked past Sailor Pallas. Pallas turned as her Princess walked past her, the Senshi's eyes wide with amazement.

Tsukuyomi watched Sailor Moon approach him. He could see her fury, sense her feelings of betrayal, and couldn't understand it. Given the circumstances, he thought he had acted properly.

"Usa?" he asked, deferentially using the name she preferred, even if he didn't.

"Are you OUT OF YOUR MIND?" Sailor Moon snarled at him. Her pink eyes blazed. Her jaw was set, her mouth drawn thin and her nostrils flared.

"I was protecting you," Tsukuyomi protested.

"He wasn't a threat!" Sailor Moon spat back. "Mom had him handled!"

"I will not see my beloved scion threatened . . ."

"He wasn't a threat!" Sailor Moon repeated angrily. "Were the other times you, too? Those people you murdered weren't threats! Give me and Mom some credit!"

"This was meant as no slight to you," Tsukuyomi maintained.

"Who cares? Who cares about who might have got slighted? Three people are dead because of what you did!"

"Three humans," Tsukuyomi scowled. "And they were threats. An adversary is always a threat until death makes him no longer a threat."

"That is archaic!" roared Sailor Moon. By now Serenity was there and clutching at her daughter.

"Usa, please!" Serenity tried to get through to her. "Nothing good will come of this!"

"Ungrateful child!" snapped Tsukuyomi. "You should be thanking me . . .!"

"FOR WHAT?" Sailor Moon barked. "For taking a situation where we were dealing with random acts of violence for whatever reason and ESCALATING IT? Because they've got a reason now! Revenge! All you've done is made this worse!"

Tsukuyomi stared at her as if she had slapped him across the face. Surreptitiously Endymion and the Senshi moved closer, just in case the ancient being decided to seek revenge for Sailor Moon's hostile admonitions. Instead he simply faded away to nothing.

"Yeah, just run away and leave us to pick up the pieces!" Sailor Moon huffed, her anger still seething. She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned around. Her mother was there.

"Honey, please," Serenity advised her gently. "You need to calm down."

"Oh, PLEASE don't tell me you forgive him!" snorted Sailor Moon. "Mom, he KILLED three people!"

"And that's wrong," Serenity nodded. "What he did was terrible. But he didn't do it out of malice. Honey, he's still confused about modern society and the way we do things. He thought he was helping."

"That kind of help we don't need," Sailor Moon fumed. "Maybe it's better he's gone."

"Honey," Serenity said, gently but intently, "burning bridges never did anything other than separate people and make it harder to communicate. And without communication, we can't come together."

"Mom, in this case being separated from him might be a good thing."

Sailor Moon turned and joined her waiting Senshi.

"Come on," she sighed to them. "Let's try to figure out where they're going to hit next."

Continued in Chapter 16


	16. Hurt Feelings

THE MOON KING  
Chapter 16: "Hurt Feelings"  
A Sailor Moon/Neo-Sailor Moon crossover fanfic

* * *

By Bill K.

"Really lit into him, did she?" Makoto asked. She and the other elder Senshi were discussing the incident at the elementary school over tea at the Shrine. "Well, good for her."

"I'm not certain that it's as good as you think," Ami commented. "I realize you still hold a grudge against him . . ."

"He kidnapped Serenity," Makoto rumbled. "That doesn't earn you brownie points as far as I'm concerned."

"And he has a pattern of behavior, Makoto," Ami persisted, "of not reacting well to criticism or defiance."

"Not to mention his pattern of behavior when it comes to how easily he kills," Minako added thoughtfully. "Suppose he flies up to the Moon, stews for a while, then comes back down here to 'teach Usa some manners'? You really want to tangle with him again?"

"I will if I have to," Makoto responded.

"Maybe we won't have to," Rei suggested. The others looked at her and could see her thoughts were far away.

"Premonition?" Minako asked.

"No," Rei replied. "But I was just thinking - - if Tsukuyomi was the basis for the ancient myths about him - - and I still find that to swallow - - but if . . ."

"Yeah?" Minako prodded impatiently.

"Well, one of the most important stories about Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto is the time he attended a festival on behalf of his sister, Amaterasu, whom he had great respect and affection for. The festival was held by Uke Mochi, the goddess of food. She produced an elegant banquet, but she produced it in a way that disgusted and offended Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto. So he killed her in a fit of anger."

"Sounds like our boy," muttered Minako.

"Is there more to the story, Rei?" Ami asked.

Rei sighed. "When Amaterasu learned of what he'd done, she was so angry with him that she refused to ever look at him again. She moved to a different part of the sky permanently, cutting herself off completely from him. That's why day and night are never together." She looked at the others. "But there's no story of him taking any reprisals against Amaterasu. So he accepted it, probably out of the great respect he held for her, even though it must have hurt him deeply."

"And perhaps he'll do so again?" Ami asked. Rei nodded. "So he'll just retreat to the Moon, as he did when Serenity rejected him. There's logic to your assertion, Rei."

"Hope you're right," Makoto said. "If I never see him again, it'll be all right with me."

* * *

Four teens sat in their quarters anxiously watching a fifth, Princess Usa, fiddle with one of the work stations in the room. Usa was trying to link to a conference call that was going on between her father and CDP Chief Nakamura, concerning the two terrorists that had been captured earlier. Though her anger had calmed some and had been channeled into purpose, Usa still had an intensity that radiated out from her. Palla-Palla, for one, seemed particularly nervous and edgy.

"Boy, she's sure taking what happened hard," Jun observed quietly to the others.

"The Princess is scary when she's like this," Palla-Palla said. "It makes Palla-Palla think of when we first came here."

"Got that right," Ves nodded.

"I suppose you can't blame her," Cere added. "Her grandfather did really make things worse."

"That kind of depends on the people in this group," Jun said. "If they have as little regard for anyone's life other than their own, any defeat or any casualty would have been grounds for revenge."

"What she said," Ves agreed. "Somebody's after you, they're going to be after you no matter what you do."

"So you agree with her grandfather?" Cere asked incredulously.

"I'm saying if some folks are after you, they're not going to stop until one or the other is dead. That's what a vendetta is." Ves calmed a little. "But if The Princess thinks otherwise, that's the way it is. She thinks her grandfather did wrong, he did wrong."

"That's kind of absolute," Jun remarked.

"She runs things," Ves stated. "It's not our job to question."

"OK, I've tapped into the hookup," Usa announced. Cere, Jun and Ves came over and watched the monitor while Palla-Palla hung back uneasily.

"Your dad know you're doing this?" Jun asked with a smile.

"Not if I'm lucky," Usa replied. She wasn't smiling.

". . . suspect has any criminal record to speak of," Nakamura outlined via holographic projection. Usa's screen displayed both Nakamura's holographic transmission to the palace and King Endymion's transmission back to CDP headquarters, which she'd managed to route to her screen before retransmission to its original destination. "Education indicates high school only. Financial records are minimal. Neither have jobs to speak of. In other words, 'dropouts'." His distaste was evident.

"Did they say why they were committing the acts before, Chief?" Endymion asked.

"They were both pretty eager to talk," Nakamura relayed. "Almost proud of what they were doing. Apparently it was originally just a series of crimes for the fun they derived in committing them. No other agenda that we can ascertain. I'll play you the recording of one of them."

"It was fun," the suspect, a woman in her early twenties with short black hair, pink eyeshadow and pink ends to her black bangs. "They all looked down on us because we weren't part of the 'great society'. Because we didn't want to join the flock and be good little sheep. We wanted to live." She laughed. "The looks on their faces when we began firing into crowds of them was priceless. The way they ran. The way they wet themselves. The way they climbed over their best friend to save their own neck." She grinned, her eyes dancing at the memory. "And when one of them got hit by fire - - oh, the shock and the desperation . . ." She looked at the interviewing officer. "It was a kick."

"Unbelievable," Cere murmured.

"Not really," Ves scowled.

"What do you mean?"

"I knew guys like that in the old neighborhood," Ves recalled. "Guys who'd hurt you just to see the look on your face and then kill you because it made him feel in control. You didn't mess with guys like that. If they picked someone else, you considered yourself lucky and gave them a wide berth. If they picked you, you put them down fast and hard so they didn't have a second chance at you."

"That's barbaric," muttered Usa.

"I ain't saying it's right, Princess," Ves answered. "I'm just saying that's the way you survived running into someone like that."

"So you're saying there's no negotiating with them?" Cere asked.

"You can try," Ves shrugged. "I ain't saying it never happened. But it wasn't easy." She nodded to the screen. "And once you cross the line and kill one of them, they'll be after you with every last man. Because they'd rather die than surrender the control they had."

Thoughtfully Usa turned back to the display. The interviewed suspect was now angrily responding to a question.

". . .my friends! And the King and Queen had them killed!" she snapped. "You don't just take that! You get payback! This was a game before! It's not a game now!"

"So let me get this straight," the CDP detective asked. "It's OK for you to kill someone else's friend - - for sport - - but it's not OK if someone else kills your friend. Do I have that correct?"

The woman glared at the detective with venomous malice.

"I bet you'd squeal," she smiled. "If somebody shot you in the gut with a laser pistol and you had to watch your blood and guts ooze out between your fingers. You'd sit there and moan 'oh, mommy, why me'." She nodded. "That would be fun."

"It's amazing that this society could produce people like her," Endymion said quietly. "I just don't know how."

"It's lack of discipline, Your Majesty," Nakamura responded.

"Did either of them identify if anyone else is in this 'Nine Into Four' group? Or if there's a leader coordinating these attacks?"

"Neither one would talk concerning any of that, Your Majesty," Nakamura replied. "They clamped shut. It's just like the previous suspects we questioned. They'll brag about what they did, but they won't turn in any of the other conspirators. Whatever this group is, they seem to have fanatical loyalty to each other."

"I see," Endymion murmured.

"We're still working, Your Majesty," Nakamura advised him. "Leads will turn up. We'll run this group to ground eventually."

"I'm certain you will, Chief," Endymion replied. "I just wonder how many will be killed or injured in the mean time."

The transmission ended. Usa turned to her friends.

"Anybody got an idea?" she asked.

* * *

After the group discussed the problem, the impromptu meeting broke up. Usa exited the quarters of the Asteroids deep in thought. So deep that she almost didn't notice Helios standing there.

"Helios!" she gasped, startled. Softening, she bent in and pecked him on the cheek. "You should have come in. We weren't in our nighties or anything."

"Hardly the barrier you think, Maiden," Helios smiled. "I am the Guardian of Pleasant Dreams and I have seen you and your friends in their night clothing."

Usa gave him a side-long glance.

"I had no wish to intrude upon your strategy session, Maiden," he continued. "I merely was curious as to your emotional state. Your disagreement with Tsukuyomi was quite fierce. Have your feelings about him settled, or are you still angry?"

"With what he did? I'll probably always be angry about that," Usa replied. "What was he thinking? To just up and execute someone like that, because he could!"

"Your mother is correct though, Maiden," Helios argued. "While Tsukuyomi clearly held malice toward those he felt had threatened or wronged his family, he is not an enlightened being when it comes to the ways and mores of current society. He felt his response was appropriate."

"Maybe it was," Usa responded, "two thousand years ago. It's not an excuse. And as bad as what he did was, it has escalated this situation we're in. I can't just shrug my shoulders and say 'oh that's Ojii-San being Ojii-San." She frowned. "Maybe Pop's assessment of him was right."

"Then you will not see him again?"

"I would kind of like to find out more about where he came from," she mused. "The origins of these crystals we all have and the power they generate. But if I go to him now, wouldn't that be like I'm forgiving him for what he's done?"

"Not necessarily," Helios reasoned. "You may still condemn his actions without cutting off ties to him. You will need to be diplomatic. You will need to be charming. You will need to walk a delicate balance between integrity and conciliation." His hand caught hers as they walked. "But I know of no one more qualified to perform such an act - - not even your mother. Plus you can think of it as training for when you ascend to Queen of Crystal Tokyo."

"Gods, you are so sneaky," Usa huffed, her eyes jammed shut in frustration. "One of these days I'm going to learn how to say 'no' to you." She let out a gigantic exhalation of pent up frustration. "Ok, I'll do it. But AFTER we run down these 'Nine Into Four' people first! That's priority!"

"Agreed," nodded the Dream Guardian.

"You wouldn't happen to know anything, would you?"

"Maiden," he cautioned. "You tread near forbidden ground."

"Sure, you can manipulate me into things . . ." she complained. Suddenly Helios stopped and turned on her, grabbing her by her upper arms.

"Maiden, I would confess to you the secrets of the universe if I could, just to curry the favor of your smile for another moment," he told her, with an intensity that gave her goose flesh. "But some things, like our love, are sacred and I dare not betray them."

"I know," she said with a melancholy smile, then bent in and kissed him. "It is kind of nice to hear you offer, though."

Sensing a presence near them, Usa and Helios turned and found Michiru waiting awkwardly a few feet from them.

"Forgive me for interrupting," Michiru said as the pair uncoupled and faced her. Usa noticed that Michiru seemed preoccupied, where other times an incident like this might have appealed to her impish sense of humor.

"What do you need, Aunt Michiru?" Usa asked.

She started to speak, but stopped and considered her words. "I'm," Michiru began haltingly, "concerned about Hotaru."

"Did she have a relapse?"

"No, physically she's recovering," Michiru responded. "But she seems very depressed about something. At first I thought it was the recovery itself, but I'm worried that it's something else. Unfortunately, she won't confide in me. I suppose if there's anyone she'd confide in, it would be you. I'm sorry if I'm putting you on the spot, but has she confided anything?"

"No," Usa shook her head. "Last time I saw her, she was in good spirits. Course it's been a while. I've been wrapped up with this terrorist thing."

"Could you talk to her?" Michiru asked. "I know you're busy with this other thing and it takes priority, of course. But if you could talk to her - - you may be the only one she would confide in. And if she does, and if it wouldn't betray her trust in you, could you tell me?" Michiru shrugged with embarrassment. "I worry."

"Yeah," Usa nodded distantly, turning the problem over in her mind. "I'll talk to her right now. Helios," and she turned to him, "let me know if there are any changes with the 'Nine Into Four' people, OK?"

"Of course, Maiden," Helios nodded.

"Thank you, Usa," Michiru said happily. "You really are a good friend to her."

* * *

The loneliness of a hospital room was never so apparent to Hotaru Tomoe than it was right now. Usa hadn't been by to visit since the incident at the nightclub. Yutaka hadn't been around all day. She assumed it was because he was busy with his studies. Her physical therapist had been in that morning, and a substitute doctor had been in just after, as Ami was busy with something else in the palace. Even her adoptive mother and father hadn't been around.

Hotaru had never been one for video streams. She's played music for a while - - what little the computer library had of twentieth century music files. She even resorted to trying to get ahead on her biology studies. But that didn't last. She was bored and she was lonely. And the silence brought back uneasy memories of being captive in a small room with hundreds of plush dolls, propped up on a throne like a doll herself.

When Usa stuck her head in the door and smiled, Hotaru almost felt like crying.

"How are you doing?" Usa asked, ambling in and taking her usual seat next to the bed. "Sorry I haven't been around . . ."

"You're busy, I know," Hotaru assured her. "I saw the stream of the elementary school. You and the others handled it really well."

"Still could have used you," Usa shrugged. "It would have been a lot less loud and messy going through that wall with your glaive."

"I wanted to be there," Hotaru offered.

"I get it. You're still recovering. Don't rush it." Usa thought for a moment. "Your spirits keeping up? I know you want out of here. I know this can be kind of depressing. . ."

At the mention of the word "depressing", Hotaru looked down anxiously. When she looked up again, she found her friend staring intently at her.

"Is it something else?" Usa asked.

"Guess you know me too well," Hotaru mumbled. "Usa, I'm so tired of being small and sickly . . ."

"Not that again," sighed the Princess. "Hotaru, you're petite. You're not sickly."

"Then why do I keep ending up back here?"

"Uh, you're in a dangerous line of work," suggested her friend. "I'm not exactly a stranger to this place myself. Comes with the job."

"Is it just that? It's not just me, Usa. Other people think that, too."

"Other people who?"

Hotaru examined her hands. "Like Yutaka."

"Yutaka loves the way you look!" gasped the Princess.

"Does he?"

"What makes you think different?"

Hotaru hesitated. "He was here - - visiting. He was distant; polite, but distant. Like he doesn't love me anymore. Like he's just going through the motions to be nice."

"Yutaka?" Usa asked incredulously.

"I mean, I don't blame him. I'm not much to look at and I'd always be a burden to him, always being sick," Hotaru sighed.

"No, no, no, no, no," Usa fussed. "None of that 'I'm not much to look at' stuff! We've been through all that. Maybe Yutaka's being distant because something is bothering him. Maybe his engineering grades aren't where he wants them. Maybe there's a problem at home. Maybe something else is on his mind."

"You think?"

"Maybe I can do a little digging," Usa offered. "Surreptitiously, of course. Wouldn't want word to get out that the Royal Family was spying on one of the subjects."

"I don't want you to pry," Hotaru cautioned.

"Hey, you're lucky it's me and not Mom doing it. I can be subtle." She gave her friend a 'my terrible burden' look and Hotaru grinned. "And meddling in other people's lives is a family tradition besides. I'm sure he still loves you, Hotaru. It's got to be something else."

"OK," Hotaru said doubtfully. "But how are you going to find time with you worrying about these terrorist people, too?"

"I'll figure something out," Usa replied.

"And what about your grandfather?"

"I'll," she sighed, "figure something out."

* * *

Materializing in the blue area on the Moon where she knew Tsukuyomi resided, Queen Serenity looked around pensively. The area hadn't changed much from the last time she had been here. Over the centuries, Serenity had made several attempts to bridge the divide between her and her father. Each attempt had been rebuffed. Her last attempt had been over a hundred years ago. No, the area hadn't changed.

And yet, it had. The area of blue that provided habitable living conditions seemed a little smaller than she remembered. Looking to her left, the Queen saw traces of the gigantic scorch mark on the Moon's soil, where almost a thousand years past Sailor Mars had attacked him with her Snake Fire. As Serenity glided to Tsukuyomi's castle, it seemed to her eye just a little tired and shabby. As if the effort to maintain it was more than he wanted to bother with.

"I wonder if the loneliness has just sapped his desire," Serenity wondered. "Maybe that's why he reached out to Usa."

At the door to the castle, she rang the bell, allowing the rope from the clapper to drop from her hand after two peals. After a few moments, one of Tsukuyomi's house servants slid the door open. Upon seeing who it was, the servant shook her head gravely. It was the same response Serenity had received a hundred years ago.

"Oto-San!" she called over the servant's shoulder. "Please see me! You and Usa are on bad terms now! I want to mediate things! Perhaps you can never forgive me, but you and Usa can work this out! I know she would benefit greatly from your wisdom!"

Serenity waited patiently for a response. The servant began to slide the door shut. Barring it with her hand, Serenity leaned in.

"Please, Oto-San! This can be worked out! Don't let your pride cut you off from another one of us!"

"She made her choice!" came a voice from inside the castle. It echoed along the halls from the interior. Rather than the belligerence she expected, Serenity detected a finality of dejection and despair. "Perhaps it was the right choice! Alienating those around me seems to be my gift in this life!"

"It doesn't have to be that way!" Serenity called back to him. "Please don't shut yourself off in this lonely castle again! Please come back and join your family!"

Back on Earth, Luna was in the Royal Chambers with Artemis. The black cat's tail was twitching nervously.

"I can't find any trace of Her Majesty anywhere in the palace, Artemis!" the cat fumed. "If she's gone out to mingle with the people alone again - - well, honestly, I just don't know what to . . ."

And the cats jumped back when Serenity suddenly materialized between them. Moon dust shook from the hem of her gown.

"Oto-San!" she shouted. Only then did the Queen realize that she was back on Earth. "Oh, he is SO stubborn!"

"Clearly a family trait," muttered Luna, the moon dust tipping her off to what had just transpired.

Continued in Chapter 17


	17. The Prying Eye

THE MOON KING  
Chapter 17: "The Prying Eye"  
A Sailor Moon/Neo-Sailor Moon crossover fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

"Cere and Palla-Palla desire entry," announced the environmental control computer.

Curious, Diana walked over to the door. While Palla-Palla was a frequent guest of The Queen, it was rare that any of the Asteroids visited the Princess in the Royal Chambers. Usa usually met them at a neutral site or in their quarters.

"Pass them through," Diana told the computer. The door whisked open and the two teens stepped in. "We're honored to have you both, of course, but I do hope this is a pleasant visit and not one carrying bad news."

"Actually Usa asked us here," Cere said. She seemed as confused as Diana was. As for Palla-Palla, she was basking the in residual psychic trail of Queen Serenity and seemed contented enough to burst.

"Very well, follow me," Diana nodded and escorted them to the door to the Princess's bedroom. The door, programmed to open automatically for Diana, slid open.

Inside, Usa was furiously typing on the input keypad to her work station. As the trio got closer, they found a picture of one of the detained terrorists, with a biography below. Diana hopped onto the bed next to the station.

"My Lady, is that a CDP criminal file?" Diana asked.

"Uh huh," Usa replied, still studying the file.

"How are you able to access CDP private computer records?"

"Um," Usa began, glancing momentarily at the gray cat, "Pop's pass code."

"MY LADY!" fumed Diana.

"Diana, don't start! Pop would be OK with it if it helped further the investigation," Usa reasoned.

"So you asked him, of course," Cere said with a knowing smirk.

"Well..."

"Gracious," Diana sighed, shaking her head.

"Well, he might have said 'no'! Anyway, I might be on to something. I've already drawn possible links to a credit account and an import company in Hokkaido that the CDP suspects deals in contraband items."

"What kind of contraband?" Cere asked.

"Anything from knock-off holograms to weapons and human cyber-enhancements. If I can trace the credit account I hacked back to who set it up, I'll have a connection to who is supplying 'Nine Into Four' with their weapons."

"My Lady, you're becoming as dishonest as Dad is," Diana scowled.

"Thanks! I've always thought your dad had a lot of talent," Usa smiled. Then she grew serious. "The reason I asked you two here is that something is up between Yutaka and Hotaru. I'd talk to him, but I don't really have the time to spare. Besides, Yutaka always gets nervous around me. I don't know if it's because I'm the Princess or I'm Hotaru's best friend."

"You want us to talk to him?" Cere asked.

"I don't know if he'd open up to you, either," Usa said. "You can try. But maybe when you do, have Palla-Palla near. And Palla-Palla, try to read what the problem is with him and Hotaru. But let Cere do the talking."

"But isn't peeking into someone else's head bad?" Palla-Palla asked.

"So? You do it to us all the time!" huffed Cere.

"DO NOT!" Palla-Palla bellowed petulantly.

"You're right, Palla-Palla, peeking into someone else's mind because you're nosy is wrong," Usa told her. "But you're going to use it to help someone, so how about I give you a, uh, 'Royal Dispensation'."

"What's a dip-sation?" Palla-Palla asked.

"It means The Princess says it's OK," Cere told her, then slyly glanced at Usa, "THIS time."

"Palla-Palla will do her best!" chirped the teen. She grabbed Cere by the hand and led them out of the room. Usa instantly turned back to her computer.

"Man, this pass code unlocks a lot of things!" Usa gasped with delight.

"Perhaps someone needs a refresher course in morality," Diana muttered.

Led by Palla-Palla, Cere tried to track down Yutaka. It was difficult, since the two were only passingly familiar, mostly through Hotaru, and she really didn't know where his favorite places to be were. After a few fruitless tries, Cere seemed on the verge of giving up.

"Why don't you ask the voice in the wall, like the King does?" Palla-Palla asked.

"Because the King has a security access in the computer that I don't have," Cere responded. Palla-Palla looked at her in confusion. "It's not allowed to tell me. Just the King and Queen - - and Usa, I guess."

"Oh. Maybe Palla-Palla can find him!" she exclaimed.

"You know where to look?"

But Palla-Palla had her eyes closed and was concentrating. Cere watched her for a few moments, then began making alternate plans when her sister inevitably failed.

"Mr. Yutaka-Sir is on level six, living quarters 604," Palla-Palla announced. "He's repairing a," and her brow furrowed, "particle - - pulse - - communications - - junction." Her brow unfurrowed. "Palla-Palla doesn't know what that is."

"Neither do I," Cere replied, "and if I did, I think I'd shoot myself. Come on."

The pair went up to level six and waited near quarters 604. Minutes turned into an hour. Palla-Palla had begun fidgeting five minutes in. Eight minutes in, Cere had given her sister her PDA, turned to the page with the video game that come pre-programmed in it. The rest of the time was spent watching for Yutaka to emerge from the dwelling while Palla-Palla was entranced by the game.

At the hour and twelve minute mark, the door to 604 slid open. Cere reached for her PDA.

"Palla-Palla wasn't finished!" she protested.

"Work before play," Cere hissed. Then she headed toward Yutaka, who was emerging from the dwelling. "Oh, hi, Yutaka! Imagine running into you up here!"

"Oh. Hi, Cere," Yutaka nodded, taken by surprise by her appearance.

"So what are you doing up here?"

"He's . . ." Palla-Palla began. Cere calmly turned to her.

"Let ME do the talking," she murmured to her sister, her eyes shooting daggers.

"I'm just doing some maintenance work," he shrugged. "How about you?"

"Oh, just visiting," Cere shrugged. "All done?"

"Yeah. Got to get to the next session of my holo-course. I'm studying thermodynamic transference." As Cere's eyes widened, Yutaka frowned. "Guess I should stop by and see how Hotaru is."

"It would be a nice thing to do," Cere told him. "I'm sure she gets pretty lonely in that hospital room."

"Maybe not," Yutaka mumbled.

Instantly Palla-Palla began tugging at the hem of Cere's skirt. Cere turned in annoyance at her, but the insistent look on the girl's face calmed her wrath.

"Something wrong?" Yutaka asked.

"Um, it's probably time for one of her shows," Cere explained. "It's not a good idea to fight that sort of thing. We'd better run along."

"Yeah, I have to get going, too. It was nice seeing you," Yutaka said.

Cere and Palla-Palla hurried off. Once they were safely in the lift, Cere turned to her partner.

"I was just beginning to draw him out! Did you read something already?" Cere asked.

"Yes! Palla-Palla heard it plain as day!" Palla-Palla exclaimed. "Right when Cere-Cere said that Miss Hotaru-Ma'am gets lonely, Mr. Yutaka-Sir thought about the man who helps Miss Hotaru-Ma'am with her exercising!"

The lift opened and the two headed for their quarters.

"Helps with her . . ." Cere frowned. "Her physical therapist?"

"Uh huh! Mr. Yutaka-Sir doesn't like him! Mr. Yutaka-Sir wants to hit him in the face so he won't be so pretty!"

"He's jealous?" Cere gasped. "Wow. But I guess it's not that hard to believe. Hotaru's physical therapist is gorgeous. I've dreamed about . . ." She glanced at Palla-Palla and saw the girl's leering grin. "Never mind what I've dreamed about. So he's jealous of her physical therapist."

"Yes, Mr. Yutaka-Sir thinks about him rubbing Miss Hotaru-Ma'am's back and legs and he gets mad," Palla-Palla reported.

"And then he gets grumpy and Hotaru thinks it's because he doesn't love her anymore," Cere summarized. "Of all the dopey things . . ." She stopped Palla-Palla in the middle of the hall. "We better tell Usa."

"Shouldn't we tell Miss Hotaru-Ma'am?" Palla-Palla asked.

"We probably should let Usa handle it. We may be friends with Hotaru, but her and Usa are besties and she's more likely to believe it if Usa tells her."

"Cere-Cere," Palla-Palla began to ask, "why do people get jealous?"

Cere snorted. "Why do we breathe? Because it's part of living."

* * *

In the detention facility built inside CDP headquarters on the outskirts of Crystal Tokyo, CDP Chief Nakamura walked with King Endymion and Rei Hino. Rei was in her priest robes and frowning, due to the negative vibrations she was picking up from the facility and those incarcerated within. Nakamura was also unhappy.

"Your Majesty," he maintained gruffly, "my force is perfectly capable of cracking this case. There is no need for this," and he glanced over at Rei, "supernatural seance."

Rei glared at him for a moment, then dismissed him.

"It isn't a slight on your force, Chief," Endymion assured him. "I just want to get this wrapped up as quickly as possible. I don't want to take the chance of anyone else falling victim to this group."

"Particularly the Royal Family?" Nakamura asked.

"Anyone, Chief," Endymion replied. "One more injury is one too many."

They arrived at a set of detention cells. The duty guards snapped to attention in the presence of the King and the Chief.

"Our two detainees are in those rooms," Nakamura nodded. "Does it matter which one you interview?"

"Let me start with the male," Rei said. "Males tend to respond to me better than females do."

Nakamura thought of saying something, but refrained. Instead he gestured to one of the guards. The guard opened the door to the detention room. He walked in and took up a position by the door. Endymion followed, with Rei behind him. As she walked, she had her hand vertical to her nose and was whispering a prayer.

Inside the room was a youth of nineteen. He had black hair dangling over his right eye, a common face and a slim build. There was an air of disdain about him that made him seem less youthful; disdain for the King, the priest, the CDP and for society in general. But everyone in the room could see there was a slight undercurrent of nervousness as well. He might talk and act like he didn't care, but there was still a part of him who wanted to live and be free.

Endymion gestured him to a seat at a table. The youth stood in defiance. Undaunted, Endymion sat down. Rei hung back, staring at the youth with penetrating violet eyes.

"Prisoner Aizawa will sit down," warned the guard.

"It's all right," Endymion said. "He can stand if he wants."

Sullenly the youth, Misuo Aizawa, slid into a chair across from the King.

"I'd like you to tell me why you joined 'Nine Into Four'," Endymion requested.

"Figure it out," grunted Aizawa.

"He was bored," Rei spoke up, open disdain for him in her voice. "He was contemptuous of society and authority and no longer mentally stimulated by holo-games."

Aizawa stared at Rei in amazement.

"One day he heard some other dropouts talking about making a game out of randomly killing someone," Rei continued. Her eyes widened momentarily and then narrowed in disgust. "They broke into an old woman's home and killed her."

"How do you know that?" shouted Aizawa. "You can't prove it!"

"So that's how it started," Endymion nodded. "But it's too loose a confederation to have committed the sophisticated assaults later on." He looked at Aizawa. "Did a leader emerge?"

Aizawa said nothing, but he glanced nervously at Rei.

"Yes," Rei said. "After three such random assaults, a leader began to emerge. He took charge of the planning, chose the targets and even supplied the group with weapons smuggled in from Hokkaido. He even came up with the name. It means 'Pain and Suffering into Death'."

By now Aizawa was in a panic. He looked around for some place to hide from the penetrating stare of this priest. Seeing no sanctuary, he bolted from his chair and lunged for the door. The guard caught him, grasping the teen's right wrist with his left hand and bringing his right forearm up across the suspect's throat. Aizawa was thrown back against the wall, pinned by the guard's superior strength and leverage. And instantly Rei was there, up in his face, staring into his eyes like they were open windows to his most private thoughts.

"Does this person have a name?" Endymion asked calmly.

Aizawa stared at Rei, shaking with fright.

"Guro Yamanaki," Rei replied. Aizawa jammed his eyes shut, vainly hoping to shut her out of his mind.

"Can you read the names of the rest of the group?" Endymion asked.

Rei paused a moment. "Yes." She pulled out her PDA and began typing them in. Endymion rose from his seat.

"You can let him go now, officer," Endymion said. "I don't think he'll be any more trouble." The guard complied and Aizawa sank to the floor. They started to leave.

"You had no right!" wailed Aizawa, in a heap on the floor, tears streaming down his face. "You had no right."

Endymion turned to him. "Neither did you."

* * *

"So, My Lady, has your efforts to invade the privacy of a citizen of Crystal Tokyo yielded any new information?" Diana sniffed as she entered Usa's bedroom. "And is it hopefully that two wrongs do not make a right?"

"I'm detecting a note of disapproval," Usa smirked, whirling around in her chair to look at the gray cat. "You're really sounding more and more like Luna every day."

"You shant blunt my disdain over your waning ethics with insults," Diana replied haughtily. She leaped up onto the bed next to the computer station. "Guro Yamanaki? What part does he play in this?"

"From the looks of it, he's the money man and weapons supplier," the Princess explained. "Everything traces back to him if you dig deep enough. He might even be the man behind this whole 'Nine Into Four' group."

"How so?"

"Yamanaki is the son of a very successful businessman. His father makes commercial entertainment holograms. But the son seems to spend all of his time with other people his age that a lot of folks have classified as 'dropouts'. He uses a generous stipend from his father to basically not work."

"How does that link him with 'Nine Into Four'?"

"He self-published this treatise about a year ago," Usa said, pulling up an online file. "I skimmed through it and the gist is that modern paradise is a crashing bore and people should all just die for not making his life wonderful." She turned to Diana. "I'm paraphrasing, of course. He tried to dress it up with a lot of pseudo-intellectual psycho-babble, but it's kind of a blueprint for 'Nine Into Four'. Plus he's had a couple of brushes with CDP: public drunkenness and defacing property." She studied the screen for a moment. "It's almost like he thinks he should be more famous than he is and that this is the means to get that fame."

Suddenly Usa popped out of her chair and sprinted for the door.

"Tell Mom and Pop I'm taking the Senshi out and picking Yamanaki-San up, huh Diana?" she called back as she disappeared through the door, her pink trails of hair lingering for just a moment in the door frame.

"Do be careful, My Lady," Diana said, then leaped to the floor and scurried off.

* * *

"Did you hear me?" the teen on the vid-phone exclaimed. She was eighteen, Japanese and rather feline-looking, with a long face, green eyes and long black hair. "The CDP picked up Aizaki-Kun!"

"Means either Aizawa or Iwabuki talked," Guro Yamanaki replied. His gaunt face, framed by shaggy, unkempt brown hair and the stubble of a beard, seemed disinterested to his caller. "Guess this is the end of the line."

"Yamanaki, what are we going to do?" gasped the girl. "What if Queen Serenity sends one of her hit squads after us?"

"You afraid to die?" Yamanaki asked. "Shouldn't have gotten mixed up in this, then."

"I don't have my father's money to protect me!"

"Look, you've got three choices: you can run, you can give yourself up," Yamanaki counted off, then smiled, "or you can die a memorable death that the world will talk about for centuries to come and take as many of them with you as you can."

Without waiting or caring for his caller's response, Guro Yamanaki severed the connection. He looked over at the seven hundred and fifty pounds of carbon-phosphoric explosive sitting in his living room in eight strategically distributed places. Each one was wired to one of the doors or windows of the small cottage.

It would be memorable indeed - - especially if Queen Serenity or a member of the Royal Family were present for his arrest.

Concluded in Chapter 18


	18. Opportunity Lost

THE MOON KING  
Chapter 18: "Opportunity Lost"  
A Sailor Moon/Neo-Sailor Moon crossover fanfic

By Bill K.

* * *

Speeding through the sky of Crystal Tokyo's north residential district were two winged horses with the famous Sailor Senshi astride them. Mounted on Pegasus, Sailor Moon led the charge, her famous pink hair trails fluttering behind her in the winds above the city. Mounted on Sailor Vesta were Sailor Juno, Sailor Ceres and Sailor Pallas. While Pallas was giddy with enjoying one of her favorite pastimes, Juno and Ceres were sober with the situation.

"Ease up a bit, Princess!" Juno called ahead. "Vesta can't keep up!"

"Who can't keep up?" bristled the brown filly with the crimson mane.

"Are you afraid Yamanaki is going to get away?"

Sailor Moon didn't answer. She just leaned forward on Pegasus to decrease her wind resistance and give the horse more speed.

"Such haste is unnecessary, Maiden," Pegasus thought to her. "There is no evidence that Yamanaki-San has discovered that we seek him, nor that he plans another attack."

"Let's keep it that way," Sailor Moon muttered. "The sooner he's off the streets, the better I like it. 'I have heard that in war haste can be folly, but have never seen delay that was wise'."

"You know your Sun Tzu, Maiden," Pegasus thought back. "I would counter with 'wisely and slowly; they stumble that run fast'."

"Who said that?"

"William Shakespeare."

"Well, I never was into ancient literature," Sailor Moon replied. "And I don't remember Shakespeare winning any battles."

Just then Sailor Moon's Senshi communicator signaled. Awkwardly, trying to prevent falling from her mount, Sailor Moon engaged the device.

"I just received your message from Diana," Endymion said. "Would it do any good to ask you to let the CDP handle this?"

"Why? Don't think I can do it?" Sailor Moon demanded.

"It is why we have the CDP," Endymion replied patiently. "For non-disaster enforcement. The Senshi are an excellent defense against rampaging demons or hostile aliens, but the CDP is here to deal with more common civilian disturbances."

"Did Chief Nakamura put you up to this, Pop? I know he's never liked us . . ."

"He did not," Endymion said, "though I would understand his position if he did."

"Pop, we've got these powers. Why not use them? Why put someone at risk who isn't as able to defend themselves? Besides, the sooner these people are off the streets, the better for everybody!"

"You're not 'proving anything' by doing this, Honey."

"What I'm 'doing' is what Sailor Moon and the Senshi are supposed to do," she shot back.

"All right," Endymion sighed. "Be careful. CDP will be there in case you need assistance."

After shutting down her communicator, Sailor Moon surveyed the area. There was a small green space up the block from Guro Yamanaki's cottage. She looked over to Vesta and gestured for her to set down there. Vesta nodded and began her descent. Pegasus followed. Once on land, everyone dismounted.

"How do we do this?" Vesta asked, back in human form. The others stared intently at her. Sailor Moon was fixed on Guro Yamanaki's cottage down the block.

"First we find out if he's home," Sailor Moon responded. "Pallas, can you sense thoughts in there? You don't have to read them."

Pallas closed her eyes for a moment. "Yes, Pallas hears someone in the house. Just one person."

"We shouldn't have much trouble taking him," Vesta added.

"Look, it's Sailor Moon!" cried one of the people who lived in the area. Within seconds a crowd began to gather.

"Please, everybody stay back!" Sailor Moon called to them.

"Well, if he didn't know we were here before, he does now," Juno quipped.

"I wish Saturn were here. I'd go full frontal assault if she were," mused Sailor Moon. She thought a moment. "OK, Ceres, I need you to surround the place with your plant men. Have them grab anybody that comes out. You station yourself at the back of the house. Vesta takes one side, Juno the other; you grab anybody who comes out. Pallas, use your telekinesis to ram the front door down. I'll rush in and hit him with the Moon Tier. Helios, you watch my back." She took a breath. "We ready?"

Everyone nodded. Sailor Moon nodded back and they all moved out. As several CDP air cars came in for a landing, the Senshi fanned out to their positions around the cottage. As they got into position, Sailor Moon signaled Pallas and then charged the door, Helios a few paces behind her.

"Beautiful Incantation!" Pallas cried out.

One step forward and Sailor Moon could see the impact on the front door of an invisible force. Two steps forward and she could see the door begin to buckle inward.

Three steps forward and Sailor Moon saw the room inside ignite in a gigantic fireball behind the rapidly buckling door. It was four steps before the image registered in her brain and six steps before the fireball consumed everything inside the cottage, buckled the walls outward and lunged for her through the open door. She had a brief moment where she came to the realization that she might be looking her own death in the face.

Then the force of the explosion was contained by an invisible barrier over and around it, forcing the explosion downward. As Sailor Moon skidded to a stop just inches from the buckled door and the fiery conflagration trapped inside the invisible force, the explosion created a crater where the cottage had been. Her Senshi got up from the protective crouches they had been in as Sailor Moon looked around in confusion.

"Did you do that?" Sailor Juno asked Sailor Moon. The bubble around the cottage had opened at the top to allow hot gasses and ash to vent. No one outside of the cottage had been touched, though there was little hope for whoever had been inside. Sailor Moon shook her head in astonishment.

"Mom?" Sailor Moon called out. There was no answer.

"That explosion should have fried us and this whole block!" Vesta exclaimed, running up to join the others.

"Think the Queen did it?" Juno asked as Ceres ran up.

"Pallas doesn't think so," Pallas said. "Pallas can always feel the Queen when she's near and Pallas didn't feel her."

Just then a CDP field commander walked up to them.

"Good work containing that blast, Princess," she said. "You saved a lot of lives. We can handle it from here. Was anybody in there besides Yamanaki?"

"Um," Sailor Moon replied, distracted, "no. We think just him."

"We'll get a forensics team in there. Maybe we can find enough DNA for a positive identification."

The commander left, leaving the Senshi still with questions.

"It had to be Queen Serenity," Ceres maintained. "Even if Saturn were here, she couldn't throw up a shield that big, could she?"

Sailor Moon just silently puzzled over the question.

* * *

"No, Honey, I was nowhere near that area," Serenity told her daughter as she lay her other daughter in her crib to sleep. "But thank the gods someone was able to do it! You could have been killed!"

"Yeah," Sailor Moon murmured. "But who?"

Serenity suddenly smiled with inspiration. "Maybe I know. Take my hand, Usa," and she extended her dainty hand to her daughter. Puzzled, Sailor Moon took her hand. Instantly the two vanished in a burst of light.

"Ojii-San?" Sailor Moon asked after she realized that the transport bubble was headed for the blue area of the Moon.

"Usa, your grandfather once moved the Moon out of its orbit," Serenity said. "I think he's capable of erecting a shield like you described."

"But he doesn't give a damn about humans!" Sailor Moon exclaimed. "And I doubt I'm his favorite person at the moment, either. Why would he bother?"

"Maybe you're more important to him than you think," Serenity suggested. "Or maybe he's mellowed with age. Or maybe he's finally realized that there's other life in the universe that he has to co-exist with - - that it's better to help than to shun."

"He's not going to want to see us," Sailor Moon mumbled.

"Maybe not," Serenity persisted. "But at least you'll get the chance to say 'thank you'. Who knows what opportunities those two words might create."

Sailor Moon was about to respond when she felt her mother stiffen. Looking over at her, she saw the Queen staring ahead with a shocked expression.

"Mom?" Sailor Moon asked.

"We have to hurry, Honey," Serenity gasped.

Fearing the worst, the pair increased their speed. They materialized near Tsukuyomi's castle. Immediately they noticed that the blue area around the castle that provided an atmosphere had shrank to just around the castle. Working quickly, Serenity erected a pocket of air around them. They approached the door to the castle. Serenity rang the bell. They waited, but no one arrived at the door. Grasping Sailor Moon's hand, she passed them through the door like two wraiths.

Making her way down the hall, Serenity searched for some signs of life. Sailor Moon accompanied her, expecting a rebuff at any moment. As they searched, Sailor Moon noticed piles of moon dust in various rooms and along the hall.

The pair searched every room and found them empty. Finally they made their way out to the garden in back of the castle. In the garden, by the decorative stone representations of his race, Tsukuyomi sat. His legs were folded in a lotus position and his hands rested on his thighs. But his head was slumped forward.

"Oto-San?" Serenity prompted.

She glided over and touched his shoulder. But the Queen drew back with a start when Tsukuyomi slumped over onto his side. She quickly knelt by him, Sailor Moon kneeling on his other side. Sailor Moon put her hand to his neck.

"He's still alive!" Sailor Moon declared.

Immediately Serenity pushed in. She grasped Tsukuyomi's shoulders and her hands took on a silver glow. Sailor Moon looked on. It was suddenly obvious to her in the glow of the silver energy how much older Tsukuyomi suddenly looked. Serenity continued to funnel healing energy into the old man.

To her surprise, two more hands pressed to Tsukuyomi's chest just below hers. The hands began to glow pink. Serenity glanced at her daughter and gave her a grateful smile. But their attention was caught when one of Tsukuyomi's hands reached up. It folded around Serenity's left wrist and made a feeble attempt to pull the hand away.

"Oto-San!" Serenity said impatiently. "Let us help you!"

"Too late for me," he exhaled. "You'll only risk yourselves."

"But Oto-San!"

"My life has run its course," he said with faltering breath. "My time is ended." He looked up at nothing they could see. "At least I was able to do some good - - at the end."

"Then it was you who erected the shield around the explosion?" Serenity asked. Tsukuyomi nodded and the act seemed to take all of his strength. "But look what it's cost you!"

"My time was near, Usagi," he whispered. "If I hastened it by a few days or a few minutes, it was well spent."

"How did you know?" Sailor Moon asked.

Tsukuyomi looked away. "I was watching."

"Thank you, Ojii-San," the pink Princess said. "Thank you for saving my friends. And thank you for saving me."

He looked back up at her and smiled weakly. "You're a fine warrior. I wish - - there's so much I wish I could have taught you."

"I wish you could have taught me, too," Sailor Moon told him.

Tsukuyomi took that statement and made peace with it. He closed his eyes. His lips moved and there seemed to be words whispered out. Sailor Moon bent in to hear them. Startled, she rose up and stared.

"What did he say?" Serenity asked.

"If I heard it right," Sailor Moon answered, "he said 'Amaterasu, I'm so sorry.'"

After a moment, Sailor Moon felt his neck again.

"He's," Sailor Moon whispered, "dead." Tears began streaming down Serenity's face.

"If only he hadn't been so stubborn all of these centuries," Serenity mused. "We both could have learned so much from him. And he could have benefited so much from being around a family instead of holed up here in this lonely castle."

"It's what he wanted," Sailor Moon replied.

"Maybe I'm wrong," Serenity conceded. "I just think he spent all of this time up here, alone and away from his family and his friends, telling himself he didn't need them. Until finally even he couldn't believe it."

Sailor Moon continued to kneel beside Tsukuyomi's body. "Maybe I shouldn't have been so harsh. Yeah, he made things worse - - but still . . ."

"We all make mistakes, Honey. Forgiving those mistakes is what keeps us together," Serenity whispered, emotion robbing her of her voice.

Taking a little time to grieve and then to compose herself, Serenity rose to her feet. Using the power of her crystal, she levitated Tsukuyomi's body into the air, then created a grave at the foot of the row of stones. Placing his body in the grave, she covered it with Moon soil. As she did so, Sailor Moon noticed that the castle and the garden were disintegrating into Moon dust. When the grave was complete, all that was left were the spirit stones of Serenity the first and the others of his race.

"I hope he'll be happy there," Serenity said. "He's with the spirits of his friends." The Queen took another moment, then extended her hand. "Let's go home, Honey."

"Give me a minute, OK?" Sailor Moon said softly. She knelt down and placed her hand on the fresh soil of the grave. "You did teach me one thing, Ojii-San: not to make the mistakes you did. Thank you for being part of my life."

Then she got to her feet. The two women clutched hands and disappeared in a burst of light.

* * *

Usa sat on the balcony of the palace that faced the north residential district. Dust and smoke still wafted up from the crater that had been Goro Yamanaki's cottage. She didn't see it. Neither did she see Helios come up behind her. She only noticed him when he put his hand on her shoulder.

"Boy, none of this turned out the way I was expecting," she said, putting her hand over his. "We got all of the 'Nine Into Four' people rounded up. But there's a crater in the residential district - - and two people are dead."

"You did you best," Helios advised her.

"Did I?" Usa posed. "Maybe if I hadn't gone charging in there like 'the Great Hero', Ojii-San would still be alive. Not to mention Yamanaki."

"And it is possible Yamanaki wished to die in a spectacular fashion in a morbid attempt to see that his fame would linger after his death," Helios suggested. "And no change in your actions would have prevented that."

"Maybe."

"As for your grandfather," Helios hesitated. "He is gone, so I feel I am free to speak. He was not long for this realm. Even members of his race have finite life spans."

"You knew?" Usa gasped. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I could not," Helios maintained. "Information learned in the dreaming is sacred and cannot be bandied about. Please do not hold that against me."

Usa exhaled. "No, I guess I can't. But it doesn't feel right that angry words kept us apart until the end."

"Death does not always give us time to make amends, Maiden. It is therefore prudent that we not leave ill feelings linger if it is possible to change them." He stroked her pink hair. "He had just as much opportunity to seek peace as you did. Do not bear the burden alone."

A shy voice sounded from the door to the balcony. Usa and Helios glanced and found Cere waiting awkwardly there.

"Sorry to interrupt," she offered. "I just - - well, remember that mission you sent me and Palla-Palla on?"

"Yeah!" Usa said eagerly, recent events shunted to the side for a chance to help the living. "Did you find out anything?"

* * *

Yutaka cautiously ventured into Hotaru's infirmary room. He didn't want to disturb her if she was sleeping or if she was with Dr. Mizuno. And he certainly didn't want to see her being worked on by her physical therapist, Jotaro Waruda. He didn't want to be jealous. He wondered if Hotaru had sensed his jealousy and that had contributed to their recent tense visits. But he couldn't help it.

Hotaru noticed him and waved him in. Yutaka noticed immediately that her face didn't light up the way it usually did when she saw him. He took a seat next to her.

"I'm," he began, "not interrupting anything, am I?"

"No," Hotaru said softly from behind her shell. "Dinner isn't until six and Dr. Mizuno left about a half hour ago." She considered her next words. "And my physical therapy was this morning, right after Usa left. She likes to get an early start."

"She?" Yutaka asked. "I thought . . ."

"I asked for a new physical therapist," Hotaru admitted. "Why" was left unspoken, but Yutaka felt its weight.

"Maybe it'll be all right," Yutaka offered. "I know you liked Waruda-San . . ."

Hotaru glanced suspiciously at Yutaka, but said nothing.

"I mean, if she works for Dr. Mizuno, she must know her stuff," Yutaka explained. "The important thing is that you get well."

Hotaru looked at her hands and nodded.

"Are you still on schedule? There haven't been any setbacks, have there?"

"No setbacks," Hotaru murmured. "Dr. Mizuno says I'll be up and around soon."

"Good!" he exclaimed. Hotaru looked at him, surprised by his fervor. "I want to see you up and around."

"I guess you like me better that way."

"Well, yeah! Because you're happy!" he told her. Hotaru looked at him again, surprised this time by his statement. "I hate seeing you like this because you hate it. You hate being an invalid. You know we both know that. I'll be so glad to see you smile again, and you won't do that if you're stuck in a hospital room. It just breaks my heart to see you in here. You always seem so sad and defeated in here - - unless The Princess is here."

"Yeah?"

"You want to get out of this place so bad! Hell, I'd pick you up and carry you back to your quarters right now," he continued. "But Dr. Mizuno would probably get Kino-San to maim me." Hotaru smothered a smile. "You see. That's what I miss: you being happy. You're not happy here. You'll never be happy here. And I want to make you happy."

Hotaru looked to her hands again, but this time there was timid color to her cheeks.

"Don't give up hope, Hotaru," Yutaka said. "I know I'm not always very smart or very cool or know when to do the right things. But I'm trying. And I'll always try to do right by you. I promise."

Hotaru reached up and clasped one of Yutaka's hands. He kissed it reverently.

Conclusion


End file.
